Out of the Pan
by lloth
Summary: On the way home from their crystal skull adventures, their light aircraft crashes in the rainforest. Mutt is missing presumed dead. Continues on to the adventure of the Jaguar eyes. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

"So..." the young man sighed, pulling a half broken comb from his pocket and attempting to use the shattered remain to slick back his dishevelled hair. The attempt was largely unsuccessful and his hair drooped over his face, awkwardly curling at the edges. Replacing the comb, he decide his coolness status might be better improved by leaning nonchalantly against a lone tree and playing with his knife, "So..." he repeated, twisting his knife in the air, "We've escaped the sword wielding Russian kidnapper spies, we've met our very first interdenominational aliens, waved them goodbye as they set off back to where ever they came from, oh, and we've discovered a long lost ancient city and watched it turn into dust..."

"Not bad for our first family holiday" Indy replied as he brushed a mound of dust from his hat and placed it carefully back on his head. He shifted over slightly where he was sitting on a large protruding rock to let Marion shimmy in beside him.

"Yeah," Mutt smirked, "All that was missing was the ice cream...."

"Ice cream..." his mum interrupted as she cuddled back in to her past lover, "You know I never let you have ice-cream, not after that time you licked the top right off and it landed in the sand. You cried for two days solid."

"Yeah mum. But only cause I have a cruel and sadistic parent who decided that dropping my ice cream should be a life lesson. A more caring parent could have just scraped together some loose change for their distraught 4 year old and got a new one. But anyway...."

"You should have bought him another ice-cream Marion, he was only a kid." Dr Jones sneered as he looked down from his high horse, "There's life lessons and there's child cruelty."

"It doesn't really matter." Mutt replied, "I'm over it now....but, anyway, what I was trying to say was..."

"... And who are you to tell me how I should and shouldn't have dealt with my own son!" Marion stated angrily. She had stopped cuddling in and had taken a defensive stand, arms crossed, pouting mouth. Indy stood up to meet her. "Maybe if someone had informed me that I even had a son, I could have been a little more involved..."

"Involved. Oh yeah," the laugh was almost venomous, "I'm sure you would have settled down to a family life, got a dog, took mutt to soccer, given up all this adventuring to be a dad!"

"I actually had a dog for a while, so don't say I can't commit!"

"Uhu, and where is it now?!"

"Well... I don't actually know.. but I can explain that. It wasn't my fault"

"Hey!!" Mutt squeezed between his two bickering parents, physically separating them, "Will you two just shut up?"

Marion scowled. "Don't talk to your father like that." came the surprising grudged reply.

Mutt ignored the bait. "I was trying to ask a question, not revel in the psychological remains of past childhood traumas."

Indiana looked irritated, "Well spit it out kid. No need to get in a twist. You were the one who brought the topic of holidays up in the first place."

Mutt side swerved the second argument bait. He could see where the attraction came from and quietly took a mental note that if they got back together he would definitely have to start looking to move out of the family home. His mum and Indy could live in bickering bliss. "We're in the middle of a rainforest. No backpack, no tent, no food, no car," he stated plainly, "all I wanted to know is how on earth we're going to get out of here."

A worrying silence filled the air. It seemed at that very moment even the multitude of birds, insects and forest animals took a minute to quiet down and wait expectantly for the answer. Marion looked to Indiana. Indy rubbed the stubble on his chin and looked towards the rainforest below them, confident that the answer to the question might suddenly jump up from the thicket below. An uncomfortable number of seconds later there seemed to be no awaiting answer.

Suddenly Indy started and seemed to come to life. Without saying a word he ran to the opposite edge of the hill, shielded his eyes from the sun and looked to the horizon. He then ran to another edge and repeated the process. "River to the west.. at about three o'clock.. never changes." Mutt and Marion watched on as he picked up a stick from the ground and frantically began writing what looked like calculations in the dirt. "Is he always like this?" Mutt asked his mum quietly. "Always." came the reply, "And in a few minutes time he'll come up with a ridiculously dangerous but efficient way to get out of here fast. Well be home for breakfast. Just wait and see." Light seemed to emanate from her eyes as she spoke. Her relationship status returning to hero worship after their previous argument.

"I've got it!" Indy cried out, "Easy." Mutt sighed in relief at the thought of a hot meal and even hotter shower. His mum looked over and smiled an 'I told you so smile. "So what's the plan?" Mutt asked.

"What?" Indiana asked, suddenly awoken from his crazed dream.

"How are we going to get out of here?" Mutt asked, he walked over and looked at the writing on the dirt. It seemed to be a mixture of numbers and foreign, ancient looking symbols. A picture of a river and the sun was drawn clearly beside the calculations "Is it the river again?" he sighed. His previous adventures on the river had left him weary of water. But if it was a quick route home.. "Some sort of short cut?"

"What?.... No." Indiana looked irritated again. "No, no, no. This is the calculations for finding the lost city. No wonder I never found it. I forgot to carry the 2. What an idiot."

Mutt and Marion looked at Indy with disbelief. "So.." Mutt sighed, "What exactly is the plan pops?"

"To get out of here?" Indiana replied, clearly annoyed at their lack of enthusiasm for his completed calculations, "I have absolutely no idea." He stopped for a second and looked around. "..by the way. Where's Oxley?"


	2. Chapter 2

_Slow start, I know. Will be action packed by chapter 4._

_Looking for someone to help with proof reading before posting. any volunteers?_

Mutt, for a moment felt a rush of fear and guilt. He had been so busy worrying about himself, his predicament, and his relationship with his newly discovered father, he had completely forgot about Oxley. Oxley may not have been his real father. He wasn't even his fake father, who had died when Mutt was an infant. But for all essential purposes Oxley was, and had always had been, his dad.

Mutt suddenly felt himself surge of a guilt ridden resentment towards this Indiana. This Dr Jones who swung into his life only days ago. A short time ago this man was a practical stranger who didn't' recognise his mothers name. Now it appeared, he had decided to resume their relationship and to ease into the fatherly role even though Mutt himself was now far too old to need his worldly advice. Where was Indiana Jones been when a 6 year old Mutt had broken his arm falling off a climbing frame, when he had fallen madly in love with his teacher at age 10, when his first long term girlfriend (10 weeks) had dumped him for his best friend at 15, or when he had wanted to learn how to ride and fix motorbikes at 16? Where was he?

"The whole point in getting you to come here was to save him, and now you loose him!" Mutt crossed him arms, "Great help you turned out to be."

Considering all they had been through, it was clear that the dig was an unjustified display of emotion. But Indiana was never one to shy from confrontation.

"If it wasn't for me, son" he almost said the word with malice, "you would still be sitting in a dinner somewhere drinking your milkshake and playing circus tricks with your knife for the school girls. Your mum here would be at the mercy of gun wielding Russians and Professor Oxley would be a babbling nutter."

Boxing officials would have given to point to Indiana, though the low blows were been noted and disqualified.

"Who exactly do you think you're talking to?" Mutt spat back, "Save it for your students, they might give a damn about what you say."

The two men were edging closer together, face to face, as the argument ravaged on.

"Maybe you should have stayed at school a little longer." Indiana continued, "Then you might have been able to keep up with the storyline. I am your father and you will show me some respect."

"Respect is deserved. It's not something you automatically get for sleeping around..."

"Boys! Put your testosterone back where it belongs and get a grip!" If Marion was embarrassed by the previous comment, she didn't show it, "Oxley is missing and he's far too old an weak to last long in this place on his own!"

"I may be old!" came a panting reply from below. Indiana, Marion and Mutt looked down the hill edge and saw a particularly hot and bothered looking Oxley climbing up the small cliff face. "but to say that I was weak...." He paused for a second and took a quick breather only a metre or so from the top of the cliff face, "Well, you might be right actually. Mutt give me a hand."

Mutt smiled, grabbed Oxley's hand and pulled him up the last few feet. Oxley sat down on the large rock with his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. "Does anyone have a drink of water?" he asked, "That was a tough climb for my old bones."

"There was stream not far back, do you want me to get some for you?" Indiana asked. Oxley nodded, "That would be lovely Henry if you don't mind." Indiana obediently headed off to collect the water. Although the two were friends, it was clear that Indiana still considered Harold Oxley to be his superior. "I'll come and help you." Marion stated trotting after him, she looked angrily at Mutt as she walked off, "It'll give you a chance to calm down a bit. Take a breather."

Mutt took a deep breath and sat calmly down beside Oxley. "Why did you just run off like that?" Mutt asked gently, "I was worried stiff."

"You folks were busy arguing, I didn't want to interrupt." He leaned back and smiled, "And to be honest son, I have only, moments ago recovered my mind after loosing it for a long time. After which I discovered that my friend Dr Jones here is actually your father. It was a lot to take in. I needed a walk to clear my head."

Mutt sat down beside him, "It's is a lot to take in." he claimed sadly. He felt sorry for the old man, to be suddenly replaced by a newly discovered legitimate heir to the throne. Professor Oxley put his arm around Mutt's shoulder, "How are you taking it?" he asked the younger man. Mutt shrugged, "We've been so busy trying to get out of this mess, I've not really had much of a chance to think about it... Sometimes I'm pleased, cause, like my real father's not dead, and sometimes I feel angry, that I never knew... and that he wasn't there.." he shrugged again, "I don't know what to think."

"Try not to be angry." Oxley said with a reassuring squeeze of the shoulder, "Relationships can be very complicated. You can't judge your mother's decision making. Because you don't know what decision you would make in the same situation."

"And how do you feel?" Mutt asked.

"Hmm." Oxley stroked him chin, "I feel sad."

"He won't replace you.." Mutt began defensively.

"No, no." Oxley laughed, "I feel sad for your father. He's missed it all. Your first words, first steps, first day at school. He's missed all the good bits. And what does he get...? A teenage biker with a bad attitude, and who is too arrogant to listen to reason or sense from his elders."

Mutt laughed, "Yeah well, I'm glad I've finally got a replacement for you anyway," he joked, "I'm long overdue for a newer model. It'd be like riding a Elgin. Still needs petals to get up the hills."

Professor Oxley and Mutt sat in silence for a while, enjoying listening to the rainforest. A place Mutt had never dreamed he would ever visit. Indiana and Marion returned a few minutes later with their flasks filled with water. After taking a drink Oxley addressed the group. "Now," he said with an authoritative tone, "Has anyone figured a way to get out of here."

All three looked at their shoes. "Well," Indiana said, "We're still working on that point."

Oxley smiled. "You'll be glad that you have weak old Oxley on your team then he grinned, "Because I have a plan."


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3 – Best Laid Plans_

_Disclaimer- I don't own Indiana Jones_

"On my little walk there, I heard voices. Russian voices and the sound of a truck door shutting. I don't think they know what's happened in the lost city yet. I'm sure their waiting for Spalko" Oxley explained, "There were at least five of them patrolling the area, hence the little.. detour back. I didn't think it was advisable to be seen."

Indy grinned and paced back and forth on the spot, rubbing his stubble. The prospect of a new fight seemed to invigorate him. "We can deal with five." he said with confidence, "And my guess is that they have a small private plane somewhere within driving distance. We just have to find out where." Indiana looked over the hill ledge. The expanse of thick green forest spread as far as the eye could see. No sign of an open area big enough for a plane to land. Unless...

"There." Indiana stated confidently, pointing towards the distance, "Where the river widens. They could land a sea plane on a patch of water that size." Mutt squinted and looked at the widened patch of water. "Are you sure?" he asked, "I don't see anything."

"Of course I'm not sure." An irritated Indiana replied, "I'm guessing. But I'm very good at guessing. Have you any better ideas?"

Mutt looked in the opposite direction. "Maybe over there," he suggested, "Right at the horizon I can see smoke." Indeed, right at the edge of vision, a small grey line fluttered into the air, only visible as the setting sun now glowed red. "Wouldn't that suggest there are people over there?" Mutt was pleased with his detective work and secretly awarded himself a 'one up' on his elder, more experienced consort.

Indiana was busying himself rolling up his sleeve and carefully tidying away his whip into its holster. He had either not heard or was not listening. Mutt gambled on the second option. "So, it's agreed that we'll get the truck and head towards the river then."

Mutt could feel the hairs on his neck lift. "No." he stated angrily, "It's not agreed. No agreeing has been done. In fact, in case your age has also affected your hearing, there was actually some disagreeing going on!" He gestured wildly as he spoke, clearly upset. "You just hate being wrong don't you!"

Indiana looked relaxed as he spoke, clearly enjoying the reaction he had created. "No, I don't hate it. It just so happens that I'm never wrong." It wasn't a brag, it was stated as a clear fact. Everyone should know it. Plants need the sun. The moon makes waves. Birds lay eggs. Indiana Jones is never wrong. "And what do you mean by age has 'also' affected my hearing? What exactly are you implying _has_ been affected?"

Mutt opened his mouth to respond but Marion stepped in once more between the butting antlers of her two men. "You're probably right Mutt, but I think on this occasion we should maybe go with Indiana's idea." She made it sound diplomatic. Like it was a matter of fairness and turn taking. It was a ploy she had used when Mutt was a small child and his arch enemy, cousin Betty, came round to visit. Mutt (Henry at the time) would be forced to give up his prized slinky to the horrible squint toothed girl under the ploy, "I think on this occasion you should let her have a shot, when you visit her you can play with her toys." Of course when it came time to visit Smelly Betty, Mutt would have absolutely no inkling to play with her tangled haired dolls and three wheeled pram.

"Why?" Came the exasperated reply, the concept of being old enough to question the decisions of his mother didn't seem to make all that much difference, "Why should we go towards a river that has no suggestion of people or rescue?"

"Well." Marion, shrugged, "Indiana is very good at guessing."

It seemed to her, to be a good a reason as any, and she and Indiana strode off quietly into the jungle.

Mutt stood with his mouth opening and closing like a gaping fish. He new he should say something, something angry, or witty. But the words failed to appear. "Don't worry." Oxley smiled, putting a comforting hand on Mutt's shoulder, "At least if he's wrong you have a big 'I told you so' card to shake at him." Oxley padded off into the jungle after his companions, "Of course, if he's wrong.." he called back to the young man still standing in the clearing, "chances are we'll die in this jungle, so your glory may be short lived."

Mutt stood quietly for a moment, stunned at the bluntness of Professor Oxleys statement. Then, when he realised that none of his companions were within sight, ran after them in a panic.

When Mutt caught up with the group, they were hiding low in the bushes. Indiana gave Mutt a look as he trudged noisily towards him. Mutt likened it to the obvious gawping stare his history teacher, Mr Findley, made when Mutt was talking during class. Maybe that's what they learned all those years at College, how to give a good dirty. Regardless, Mutt ignored Indiana's stare, as he did Mr Findley's. He kneeled down beside his family and peeked through the trees.

Oxley had been right. There was definitely a truck, a large green supply truck. It was dimly lit in the fading darkness by lanterns. Around it guards paced in an unprofessional and bored manner, kicking stones, and on one occasion, a small frog, as they walked. Mutt himself could only see three men, but he supposed the other two could be behind the truck or further away. Two of the men stopped and leaned against the truck. One guard pulled two cigarettes from his pocket, light them and handed one to his companion. They stood, as if waiting for a bus, cigarette in one hand, a deadly SKS clutched loosely in the other.

"Я желаю она поспешило вверх. Я потею мой ишак." the solder sighed wearily. He pulled the the collar of his shirt. The other man laughed, "Я думаю вы хотел было получить свитер с ей. Да?" he said and punched his commerade on the shoulder in a friendly manner. They both laughed. The first man blushed a little, threw his cigarette to the ground and stood on it. The joke was clearly not all that funny. "получите, что работать" he ordered grumpily. The second soldier looked at his half smoked cigarette then stubbed it out underfoot. As the first solder walked away, the second drew his gun and pretended to shoot his companion. "Asshole" he said, in crystal English then paced in the opposite direction.

"There's a lot of guns in there." Mutt whispered folding his pen knife into his pocket. His handy knife, it seemed, had not been quite so handy the last few days.

"Then it important you don't get shot then." Indiana whispered in reply, "We'll try to take them out one at a time. They're split up nice and far. I'll deal with the majority of them, if you just watch my back."

"Excuse, me." Marion commented, a little too loud for comfort, "You are not taking my son into a gun fight."

"I'm not the one taking him into a gun fight." Indiana stated to Marion calmly, "He would be nowhere near a gun fight if you hadn't got yourself kidnapped. Technically, you brought him into a gun fight, I'm just using him as back up."

"That is totally unreasonable." Marion began, yet another argument was welling up between the star crossed lovers. But Indiana had no time for it on this occasion.

"The kid should stick with me, he's a good fighter. He has heart."

Mutt surprised himself by feeling a sense of real pride at his father's words. "And anyway." Indiana continued, "We really don't have all that many options."

Indiana turned his attention to Oxley, "Hey old man, you still remember how to hotwire."

Mutt wasn't sure if that was an 'in' joke, or if his surrogate father still had a few hidden tricks up his sleeve.

"Indeed I do." He answered smiling.

There was a pause.

"And what, exactly do I do?" Marion asked.

"What you're so very good at." Indiana smiled, "You're a distraction."

Marion was not pleased. "Bait. Is that all you see me as?" Mutt counted to five in his head, confident that a hissy fit was eminent. "I have saved your incompetent ass on more than one occasion." She complained, her voice getting higher and higher pitched as she spoke. "Maybe bait is all your previous fluzzies have been good for, but I'm not one of those useless women." She was no longer whispering. "I have managed just fine without a man for this long, I will not stand by and be used as a distraction when I have..."

Indiana said nothing, but roughly put his hand over Marions mouth, a tactic that was surprisingly effective, until, of course, Marion bit Indiana on the hand. "Oww." Indiana yelped, "Just calm down will ya." he grumbled rubbing his sore hand. "Just keep it down or they'll find us."

"Um...pops." Mutt muttered from behind the arguing couple. Indiana turned his head to see Mutt and Oxley standing straight with their hands behind their heads. Behind them a Russian guard held his gun to their back. "I think they already have." Mutt grumbled.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Indiana Jones

Chapter 4: Don't Fight, There's Plenty for Everyone

Indiana and Marion slowly and carefully slid their hands into the air. "Now just calm down there big boy." he said cautiously. The Russian soldier was indeed big. In fact he stood at least two feet taller and wider than Mutt and Professor Oxley. His face was pale and square with jutting, yellowed teeth. It was also noted that his eyes seemed spaced just a little too far apart. Indiana could imagine the poor Russians' mother throwing him out the house at birth yelling, "flee monster flee." Indiana also imagined that the poor kid should probably have hobbled to Notre Damn taking refuge in the bell tower rather than Russian army.

The uniform clad Frankenstein's monster made a gesture with his gun which suggested that Indiana and Marion were to stand. Indiana looked at Mutt , gave a sad smile and shrugged his shoulders; at least they wouldn't need to use his mother as bait. Simultaneously a small flying insect decided that Dr Jones' eye would be a good place to make an unjustified kamikaze attack. It flew in at speed, then noting that it hadn't died instantly as per plan, proceeded to wriggle around his eyeball, attempting a poorly constructed breast stroke. Indiana blinked furiously.

Suddenly Mutt nodded, winked, and sprung into action. He swung his right arm round to connect with the Russian's neck, and with the other hand thrusted the cocked gun towards the air to prevent the bullets firing near any of the captors. At the same time he pushed forward with his body to push the off-balanced guard to the floor.

Unfortunately, Mutt had failed to take into consideration that the neck of the Russian was similar to that of a putt bull. His elbow connected, and bounced off. His full body weight recoiled off the statuesque Russian, leaving him a little shocked looking, but otherwise unhurt.

The Russian, now realising Mutt's intent, then reciprocated with a swift kick to the shins. Mutt went down. If he had been given dead leg he would have been thankful. As it happened, his leg was very much alive, and very much in agony. Mutt rolled about the forest floor, clutching his injured leg, using profanities that even shocked his mother. The miss-shaped soldier then proceeded to lean down on his knees, giggle hysterically and pointed at Mutt, like a child who just saw an old lady fall off her roller-skates.

Indiana, after disposing of the offending mini-beast, took the presented opportunity to hit the guard on the back of the neck with two closed fists. While the soldier faltered and wobbled. Indiana then grabbed the gun from his hand and repeated the motion with the butt of the gun. This was a more successful manoeuvre and the guard fell, face first, into the dirt. The tremor of which caused small mammals, hiding in the nearby foliage, to scuttle away in terror.

Indiana moved over to Mutt, still lying on the ground, but no longer rolling or swearing. "What did you think you were doing?" he asked gruffly. He offered a hand to the boy who took it gladly and pulled himself up. "I thought you were hinting for me to do something." Mutt complained rubbing the dirt and plants off his jacket and jeans, "Either that or having some sort of stroke, which I wouldn't really put past you at your age". He hopped slightly on his injured leg. "What has that guy got in his shoes anyway?" he continued grumpily, "I'm pretty sure its broken." He put his foot down and leaned with his body weight. "definitely broken," he exaggerated, "just what I need"

"That wasn't a hint." Indiana claimed, ignoring his son's injury "Something flew into my eye.... And I'll have you know, I'm as healthy as an ox." Indiana turned to walk away.

"Sure." Mutt quietly mumbled, "An old, creaky sickly ox with, like, three legs and a hump back or something" He hobbled after the elder man, tripping over the unconscious guard's legs, then kicking him grumpily. Marion and Professor Oxley smiled at each other and followed suit.

"At least this will make it easier to get the truck." Indiana checked the gun and cocked it. He peeked through the bushes to see two soldiers still pacing. They were both about five meters behind the truck and talking to each other again like old friends. Clearly Godzilla hadn't raised the alarm. The back door of the truck was ajar and presented an escape route if they could get the van was mobile. Silently Indiana gestured to Professor Oxley to come closer. "We'll deal with the guards Ox," he whispered, "You get the the truck and start it up." The professor nodded. Indiana then turned round to Marion, "You go with Oxley in case he needs back up." Then to Mutt, "You're with me."

The team then quietly slid out from the undergrowth. Marion and Oxley tiptoed towards the truck driving compartment and Mutt and Indiana strode more bravely towards the two guards. When they were about five paces away from the chatting Russians, they both stopped and stood their ground. Mutt, in the absence of any effective weapon, raised his knife threateningly "Throw your guns to the ground." Indiana demanded. The two guards, slowly threw their guns down, put their hands in the air and turned round. Then, to Mutt and Indiana's surprise they started smiling.

"Cheery bunch these Russians." Mutt claimed scratching the back of his neck. Indiana stayed silent for a moment, then a look of realisation began to spread across his face. "I think..." he said, turning around to face the truck and lowering his gun, "...they might know something we don't kid"

Mutt turned round slowly. There was the truck. The back door now open. And in it sat at least 20 soldiers, some standing, some sitting, all armed with guns pointing right at the duo. "Why can't anything be easy." he complained.

Suddenly the engine roared to life and the truck screeched into action. The soldiers inside faltered and a five came tumbling out the open door grunting and rolling over each other. Indiana began to run to the truck, jumping over the body pile up effortlessly. "Get moving kid," he called back to Mutt who seemed to be a little slow to take situations in. It's only after a lifetime of adventure that you finally get used to expecting the unexpected.

As Mutt finally pounced into action, he saw Indiana jump and grab the truck door. A soldier tried to grab at him, but Indiana grasped the Russian's arm and pulled him from the truck with ease. He then proceeded to pull himself into the truck, grunting and complaining. Mutt quickly followed suit.

As soon as Mutt had managed to pull his torso inside the truck, he received a swift kick to the side of the head. Temporarily blinded and confused by the blow, he stretched about and grabbed whatever came to hand in order to pull himself fully into the moving vehicle. Luckily it happened to be a Russian who had previously had the intention of shooting Mutt in the back of the head. The soldier fell harshly on his back as Mutt pulled himself in. Indiana, now embroiled in a ten way close contact fight, found the time to kick the fallen comrade out the back, allowing Mutt a chance to compose himself, crawl fully into the moving vehicle and on to his feet.

The first sight he saw when he reopened his eyes was a large, moving fist heading his way. He ducked and the soldier completed his punch on a surprised looking colleague. Mutt then retaliated with a hard punch to the stomach and pushed to two Russians out, stumbling and nearly falling himself. Two more down, the rest to go.

Indiana, in turn had somehow managed to grab a weapon and was ravaging the opposition with furious blows the the face with his gun. They tumbled out the vehicle like falling dominoes.

Suddenly Mutt noticed a soldier near the front of the van. His gun was up and pointed towards Indiana. It seemed he was simply waiting for a clean shot. With only three more flailing guards left, the shot was getting clearer. He slowly lifted his weapon. Mutt considered the situation, there was no way he could either get to the soldier or to Indiana in time. He stared on in horror, he could feel his eyes welling up at the immanent prospect. The soldier aimed. And fired.

The truck bounced shakily into the air as it drove at speed over rainforest terrain. All remaining men were forced into the air, then harshly to the ground. Mutt rolled over, reached out to the final remaining Russian, now stripped of his gun in the fall, and punched him hard in the face. The soldier seemed dazed for a second, then his eyes rolled into the back of his head as he blacked out.

Mutt looked over to Indy. He was lying on the floor motionless. His hat lay by his side where it had fallen. Surely the shot missed. Hurriedly he crawled over and rolled Indiana to see his face. There were a few moments of heart-stopping silence, then Indiana began to groan and his eyes fluttered open. Mutt sighed in relief and handed him his hat. "Pops." he corrected himself for the sake of the circumstance, "Dad, are you ok?"

Indiana rolled himself to his knees, "Oh shit." he swore painfully, grasping his hat with one hand and holding under his ribs with the other. "Oh God, did he get you?" Mutt asked in a panic, grabbing Indiana by the shoulders. "Yeah he got me." Indiana sighed, "That's my third hat this year, these things are expensive!"

Indiana placed his hat on his head and a small perfect hole could be seen in the direct center. Mutt closed his eyes in relief. He then leaned out the back of the moving vehicle and banged his fist twice on the side of the truck to get the attention of his mother and Professor Osley, sitting comfortably and safely in the driving compartment. "What happened to five guards?" he yelled through the moving wind. "I think if you remember correctly," Oxley shouted as he stuck his head out the window, "I said, _at_ _least _five."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Indiana Jones, or any aspect of it.

(PS it'll be a while until chapter 6. I'm away on hols.)

Chapter 5

They drove roughly eastwards for about through the dark of the night. Occasionally Indiana would stop the truck and look up at the stars to check their direction and position. Sometimes he would point out a broken tree branch or occasional footprint and point out smugly to Mutt that they were clearly going in the right direction. Marion and Mutt soon got bored of their forced education in constellation pathfinding and stayed in the back of the truck for the majority of the time. They sat quietly, with only a dim light from a lantern, and rested for the first time since their adventure together had begun.

In the back Marion sat on the bench with her arms folded and her head lolling forward, Mutt sat opposite. With the weak light Mutt noticed that his mother looked pale, with dark lines resting bellow her weary eyes, she looked much frailer than he had imagined ever seeing her before. The adventure was clearly taking their toll. Yet Mutt figured he probably didn't look much better. It had been at least a day since he had eaten anything, and the inactivity of the last hour or so seemed to highlight his sore muscles and all the little cuts and bruises that were currently squatting all over his face and body. He wanted desperately to sleep and wake up back at home with a breakfast of pancakes waiting. To be honest, he would make do just with the sleep, the pancakes could wait, but the bustling and jostling of the van as it made it's way through un-trodden terrain, made sleep impossible.

"Mum." Mutt asked gently, "Are you asleep."

"Oh yeah." Marion laughed, "I'm being gently rocked to sleep."

As if on cue, the truck jerked and they both jumped an inch or so off their seats before a bruised landing.

"Why…" Mutt paused. Was this a good time to have this conversation? "Why did you lie to me… about who my real father was?"

Marion looked at Mutt sadly, she stood up and came to sit beside him, resting her hand in his. "Some things are so much more complicated than they seem." She sighed, "When you were little, well, you wouldn't understand. And then when you got older" She squeezed his hand a little, "What was I supposed to say?"

Mutt looked down at the floor, "Your real dad isn't dead?" He suggested.

Marion sighed, "Uhu, and when would I bring up that conversation? You seem to have enough reason to resent me without offering you emotional blackmail on a plate."

Mutt pulled his hand away from his mothers'. "Don't make me out to be the bad guy here." He said passionately, "So I flunked a few schools, so I have an opinion of my own. Did you ever think that it maybe had something to do with the whole non-dad issue? Kids are cruel mum, do you think they made my life easy?"

"Life's not supposed to be easy Mutt, that's what makes you stronger. A lot of kids never had a father after the war. You were one of many."

"But I didn't have to be." Mutt replied, "I had a real father somewhere."

"Your step father was a good man." Marion stressed.

"A good man?" Mutt repeated, "That's the second time you've said that! What does that even mean?"

"He took care of us. He accepted you as his own." The emotion in her voice was evident, "I had you outside wedlock. Can you imagine what people would have thought of us? How people would have treated us if he hadn't come along."

"You talk like he was just convenient."

Marion was quiet for a while, contemplating her thoughts. Was there any point in telling the truth? Surely it would do more harm than good. But the silence seemed to have already answered his question. "He loved me." She admitted, "Even when I was with Indy. And when Indiana walked out on me a week before the wedding, and three months pregnant....well he was there to help me get by."

"That's no reason to marry him." Mutt stated aggressively.

Marion sighed, "I thought....I might learn to.... you know if we spent enough time together. It was so hard coping with you alone."

"Kids aren't supposed to be easy mum." Mutt said, twisting her remark.

There was a long silence, "That's not fair Mutt." Marion said gently.

"Well maybe you should have both thought about that before you got down to business." Mutt said blankly.

"Oh get out of the 1930's and get a grip." Marion laughed, her mood lightening a little at the naivety of her son, "There's a lesson you'll learn soon enough Romeo."

Mutt blushed, embarrassed anger swelled within him, "I've learned enough to know not to bring a kid into this world without at least wanting it!"

Marion grabbed her son's hand again. "Mutt." She said calmly, "You re obstinate, arrogant, foolhardy, argumentative and generally a complete pain in the ass." She smiled, "Just like me, and just like your father. And that's why I love you so much. I wouldn't want you any other way"

Mutt was quiet. He sighed. Then he leaned over and kissed his mum on the cheek, "You're not that bad yourself." He smiled, "Though I might want to work on that attitude of yours... try, like counting to ten, think of the colour blue, some bull like that."

The van slid roughly to a halt.

The back door opened and Indiana peeked through, "Not interrupting anything?" he smiled, offering a hand to Marion, "That's us here." Marion took Indiana's hand. Indy then grabbed her by the waist and picked her up, twirling her round before gently placing her on the ground. Marion giggled like a schoolgirl. Indiana then put his hand out to Mutt. Mutt looked at it blankly, "It's alright big guy." He explained, "Twirl me around like that and I'll vom all over your bald spot." He jumped down and patted the old man on the back of the head as he walked away to stretch his legs. Indiana lifted his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. He looked back at Mutt, "You'll be thanking me for this fine head of hair in a few years time!" he complained in total seriousness.

All four walked carefully towards the noise of the river.

"Just over there." Indiana said, pointing a short distance away. Again there were a few weak lanterns fluttered gently, shining through the gaps between trees like fireflies. The dim light of a gently rising sun also hinted towards some small tents erected at the waterfront. Mutt also had to grudgingly admit that there, floating on the gently flowing water, was a floating light aircraft. He redeemed himself in the fact that the plane was far too small to carry such a large number of military personnel. They must have a larger camp somewhere else nearby. Probably, Mutt considered, at the smoke line he had noticed earlier.

"There doesn't seem to be anyone awake." Indiana whispered, "We should just head straight to the plane and make out getaway before anyone wakes up." Mutt looked at the plane, floating near the middle of the widened patch of river. "How do we get on?" He asked.

"Well we swim obviously." Indiana answered impatiently, "You can swim can't you?"

"Of course I can." Mutt responded indignantly wading into the water first to prove a point. "I earned merit in swimming in three different schools." he said splashing into a a front crawl.

The rest of the group quietly waded in behind him, Indy sliding into a silent breast stroke behind the young man "It's not how well you swim." he mumbled, "It's whether or not you're quiet enough to get there without attracting the pahrannas."

Mutt stopped mid stroke, the others swam slowly past him towards the sea plane "Pahrannas!" he exclaimed, "You're joking right...?"

"Well keep flailing like a drowning Capybara and you'll soon find out." Indiana smirked, grabbing on to the floating aeroplane and hauling himself aboard. He sat down in the driving seat and immediately began fiddling with buttons while the others pulled themselves aboard. It was actually much larger inside than they had previously thought and there were enough seats for maybe ten passengers. Mutt immediately fastened himself in tightly. He wasn't scared of flying. But given the option he would rather sail across the ocean on a rubber dingy than step foot on an aeroplane.

In an instant the headlights of the plane shone into actions, covering the enemy camp in a bright light. Disgruntled Russians soon began crawling out their tents cursing and swearing to themselves and loading their weapons. Marion watched them through the open door, "Um Indy, I think you had better find the 'go' button pretty quick."

Indiana looked particularly flustered, "It's not that easy." He complained, "This is a little... different from the ones if flown before." He continued to muddle with buttons. Meanwhile a large bullet dent suddenly appeared about an inch from where Mutt's head rested. He looked at the impression with open eyes and gaping mouth. Another bullet mark appeared to the southeast of the first. Mutt unfastened his seatbelt and jumped up from his position, standing at the centre of the plane away from the edges, "Mum," he cried hesitantly, "make him speed this up a little"

Indiana was sweaty and bothered. He was muttering to himself and continuing to push buttons. The plane made a screeching noise and the lights now flashed on and off. "Look, it's the red button over there." Marion explained, pointing at a small red button nestling amongst other equally red buttons, "Then pull that lever."

Indiana pulled the leaver. Nothing happened.

"No." Marion yelled, "The red button, the red button first."

Indiana pushed the wrong red button.

"Look." Marion was getting annoyed, "follow my finger, the red one below the two blue ones."

Indiana looked but didn't push any buttons, seemingly still unable to find it. Another bullet flew in through the open door. Mutt hurried over and closed it.

"Oh for goodness sake." Marion hissed, pushing Indiana out of the driving seat roughly and on to the floor. She pushed the button and the propeller roared into life. She then slowly pressed the lever forwards and the plane began to move forwards and upwards. "Male drivers." she sighed.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Indiana Jones

Chapter 6: Tragedy

To say it was a shaky take-off would be somewhat of an understatement. As the bullets continued to fly from disgruntled Russians on the ground, the plane proceeded to repeatedly bob up a few feet into the air before smacking harshly back onto the water; a skimming stone without the finesse. With each crash, bags, supplies and passengers flew upwards and forwards and backwards like rag dolls in a skipping child's schoolbag. Oxley finally managed to grab hold of a metal pole and clung to it for dear life as the force of the impact ran up and down his old bones. Mutt and Indiana had not been so lucky and tried to crawl helplessly towards support before being once again hurled further away from refuge. "Marion!" Indiana yelled, "You need to get this thing into the air!"

"I'm trying!" A flustered Marion shouted back as she struggled with the controls. She knew how to fly a plane, in theory. But this one wasn't working they way they should. Either the stick was jammed, or the whole thing worked differently.

Suddenly she was grabbed from behind and pushed off the seat on to the floor. A very red faced Indiana hauled himself into the seat and took control of the stick. As he looked out the front window he noticed that the once clear river had turned a bend and was now littered with large jagged looking rocks, making the make-shift airstrip into a minefield. "Oh for Pete's sake." He cursed, moments before the aircraft recoiled off a relatively small rock sending even the most secure passengers tumbling towards the back of the plane. Indy pulled himself back onto the driving seat. The rock they now hurtled towards stuck about 5 feet out the water, with vicious looking spikes pointing directly towards them. If they crashed into that, the Russians would need a sieve to find the bodies amongst the ruined aircraft.

Indiana pushed a few buttons and pulled at the stick. It wouldn't move. The plane flew up a few feet then slammed back down again. The rock was now only a few seconds away from impact. Indiana closed his eyes and pulled the stick with all his might. It unjammed and the plane started to ascend. But it wasn't quite fast enough. The rock screeched along the belly of the plane before the aircraft escaped it's clutches and continued into the deceitfully calm early morning air.

Mutt pulled his battered body up onto the comfort of a seat and fastened his seatbelt. He looked out the tiny window. It was amazing, miles and miles of different shades of green, as far as the eye could see. The huge towering trees nothing more than a tiny pinprick amongst a vast painted sea of green. Oxley hobbled over and sat beside him. "I bet you never thought you would ever see that in your lifetime." The professor smiled. Mutt shrugged and lay his head back on the headboard, "I never really thought about it."

"I have seen many things in my lifetime." Professor Oxley continued,almost in a daze, "That you wouldn't believe. I have nearly died many, many times."

"You never talked about it." Mutt said, a little hurt that his father figure had kept so many secrets.

Oxley was quiet for a while, "I didn't want to encourage you. I thought it was too dangerous."

"Surely that's for me to decide." Mutt huffed.

"It is now." Oxley smiled sadly, "But before you make your decision I want you to know that if you do decide to choose this life, you will live more in a few short years than many have lived in a life time. I certainly have regretted none of it"

Mutt sighed and closed his eyes. "Well now it's all out in the open I'll be wanting the stories. Maybe we can go on a few adventures together another time. But lets start small, like maybe discovering the long lost wine cellar that mum keeps locked up, then we can work our way up to the whole getting shot at and nearly killed games."

Oxley laughed, "And you think you're mother wouldn't try to kill you if you raided her wine cellar?"

Mutt thought for a moment."Hmm, maybe you're right. Okay, lets just wait till we get out of this one before we start planning the next. After good night's sleep. I'm ready to drop."

"As am I." Oxley muttered softly. He paused for a few reluctant seconds, "I have cancer Henry."

Mutt started to attention. "What?" He didn't want to believe him, "Where? How? Does mum know?!"

The professor was calm, "Your mother knows. I've had it for a good number of years, 10 years in fact. I..." he paused.."I have very little time left now. A few weeks maybe." He looked at Mutt, "Don't feel sorry for me," he said sternly, "I'm an old man. It happens to us all."

Mutt was tearing up.

"I'm glad we had this adventure together Henry." The Professor said, "It was nice to feel alive again."

Their moment was interrupted by a loud wailing noise, like an alarm. Mutt heard Indiana swear and run to the back of the aircraft. He looked out all the windows, then grabbed some backpacks from those had been littered around the floor. He pushed one into Mutt's chest roughly. "Put this on," he ordered, handing another to Oxley and Marion, before clipping one on himself. He gestured them over to the window.

"There's something wrong." he said in a matter of fact way, "I can't keep the power up. She's going down."

Mutt was still holding his backpack. He looked at it worriedly, "Going down...As in... crashing?!"

The siren squealed an octave higher than before. It was louder now too.

"As in falling from the sky at high speed." Indiana shouted condescendingly. I saw what looked like a British army base about five minutes ago, due south-east." He pointed in the direction. "When we jump..."

"Jump?!" the young man repeated.

"...try and make your way to that grass plane. If we jump now, we'll make it. If not it'll directly south of where you should land. It'll be easer to find each other there and then make our way to the base.

Mutt looked towards the door. "As in.. jump, out of the plane?"

The siren changed tone again. Another part of the plane started beeping.

"Unless you want to be sitting there with your seatbelt on when this thing hits the ground. So get that god damn parachute on now."

Mutt did as he was told as Indiana walked towards the door. "Hold on." he ordered and the passengers did as instructed. Indiana then opened the aircraft door. Immediately air seemed to come rushing in and flushing out at the same time, pulling packages and supplies out the door. The ground seemed very far away. Mutt had turned white. "I can't do this." he said out loud to himself.

Marion smiled. "It's easy." she shouted over the noise. She sounded genuinely confident, "Just pull the cord. And try not to hit a tree. I'll see you down there." With that she jumped out the door without giving it a second thought. Mutt could see her military green parachute pop up as his mother floated gently towards the light green grass bellow. "Now you!" Indiana ordered, pulling at Mutt. Mutt held on with all his might. "I can't. I can't"

"You have to." Indiana replied bluntly as he positioned himself directly in front of the door. "We'll do it together." The elder said and held out his hand. Oxley, standing behind Mutt shouted over to him, "Trust him Henry." Mutt looked round and found strength in the old man's confidence. "Ok." Mutt agreed. He began making his way to the door tentatively, keeping a good grip on the support poles.

Suddenly to plane was shaken by a horrific explosion. Indiana, standing at the door was thrown from the plane by the force of the tremor and both Mutt and Oxley were hurled towards the tail of the plane, crushed into place by the force of the plane as it began to spin round and round in circles. Numerous alarms continued to ring and a horrendous creaking noise engulfed interior.

"You... have...to...get...out." Oxley stammered. Mutt looked over to him, he was bleeding from a cut above his head. He had turned deathly pale and his eyes were rolling upwards and backwards.

"I can't leave you!" Mutt cried. But Oxley didn't respond, he lay corpse-like, the motion of the rotating aircraft pushing him hard into the floor.

Mutt grabbed the cushions of the chair and began pulling himself toward the door. It was like climbing up a sheer cliff-face with his finger tips, sweat dripped down his forehead with the effort and his eyes watered across his cheeks as the wind rushed past him. He grabbed the back of the pilots seat which sat right next the the door and clung on to it with two arms. Through the door he could see the trees of the rainforest. Far from the tiny specks of a moment ago, Mutt could now see individual trees and even leaves. It was too late for the parachute.

The alarms suddenly stopped as quickly as they had started. From his position, clinging on to the driver seat, Mutt heard the creek turn into a deafening crack. He was engulfed in cushion of blue.

Then everything turned black.

As Indiana and Marion floated gently towards the ground, they watched heartbroken and afraid as the plane spun in circles towards the distance. Marion was well below tree level when she finally heard the distant explosion, but even from her low viewpoint she saw as flames rose into the air well above the highest trees. And then the sky was striped with a line of thick black smoke.

Marion barely noticed hitting the grass softly. She fell limply on the floor as the parachute blanketed her in darkness. A moment later, high above the treetops Indiana heard the heart-stopping scream of a mother who had just lost her child. He closed his eyes, and for the first time in a long long time, preyed.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Indiana Jones

Chapter 7

_(I know this isn't what you were after, but I made it short and quick to get it out the way...will aim for Chapter 8 tomorrow if I can find an hour or so in the day)_

By the time Indiana landed, Marion was already wrestling her parachute off. She was pulling at the ropes and struggling with the tangled mess as she tried to pull her backpack off. Indiana slipped his off with ease and walked over to his former lover, secretly hoping that he would never reach her, that he would never have to see her suffer. He grabbed her by the arms as she continued to flail. "I can't get this god-damn thing off!" she yelled pushing Indiana away, "It wont come off." Hot tears dripped down her face.

Indiana grabbed her again, "You need to stop moving", he said cautiously, "Calm down so I can help." Marion's face turned a deep red. "how on Earth can you help!" she spat at him, "You left my son in there...you left him to die."

They were unthinking words of pain, a desperate heart lashing out, looking for someone to blame. He knew they weren't true but the words cut through him like a blade. "I never left him." Indiana muttered quietly. "Then why..." Marion yelled , finally managing to pull her backpack off, "..are you standing there, when my baby is lying dead."

"I did everything I could..." Indiana began.

"Well it wasn't enough." Marion stated as she started storming towards the tree front, where in the distance the smoke continued to rise like a black flag, marking the point of contact.

Indiana watched after her, "He was my son too." He shouted over to her.

Marion never even looked round, "For a week." she spat, "He's been my son since he was born!"

Check mate.

If Indiana's guilt could have been personified it's tentacles would have spread around America and swallowed it without chewing. But it wasn't, and as such Indy was able to temporarily push it down and hide it away while more pressing matters were at hand. He ran after Marion.

"Where are you going?" he asked as the woman continued to storm through the trees, "This isn't a good idea." The concept of her seeing Mutt's dead body after such a horrendous crash wouldn't do anyone any favours. "I need to know." Marion stated, wiping away her tears, "What if he's alive. What if he made the jump?"

Indiana stepped in front of her, grabbed her by the shoulders and stopped her in her tracks, "Marion." he said gently, "I saw it go down. Nothing could have survived that. Oxley...Mutt, they're gone"

"Please let me go." Marion said, refusing to make eye contact with the man she blamed, "I need to know."

Indiana dropped his arms and stepped to the side, allowing her to pass. She didn't move. "Will...will you come with me?" she asked, looking up and finally softening a little. Indiana gently held her hand. "Always." he said, a matter of fact.

The first time they knew they were approaching was the wreck was the smell. Not the sweet smell of a bonfire or coal fire, but a thick chemical smoke which burned their nose and throat. Shortly after, there was the crackling noise of trees and branches still burning. Then they began to pass some pieces of wreckage. The remains of a seat, some broken glass, jagged pieces of metal. Indiana stopped.

"I think you should wait here." he said. Marion nodded, she needed to know, but she didn't necessarily need to see. Marion sat down on the ground by a large tree, "Find him." She pleaded.

Indiana continued slowly towards the wreckage. The thick black smoke was beginning to dissipate, but the smell was as strong as ever. The wreckage pieces were getting larger and larger until...

"Holy crap." Indiana cursed as he walked into the crash sight. The largest piece of the plane at the crash was about the size of a briefcase. The explosion had been so massive that there was was nothing left. Indiana walked amongst the charred remains and blackened grass for any signs that either the Professor or Mutt could still be alive.

But what he found was evidence of the contrary. Blood, body fragments, hair and little scraps of clothing were everywhere. Indiana had dealt with death before, too many times, some were enemies, and some were even close friends. But he had never had to deal with death of this brutality. He fought the urge to throw up and instead began to walk back to break the inevitable news to Marion.

When Marion saw Indiana slowly walked back towards her, she worked it out by herself. She put her face into her arms and was cried loudly. Indiana kneeled beside her. "It was instant." he said soothingly, "They never felt any pain."

"Did.." Marion sniffed, looking up, "Did you see him?"

Indiana nodded. It wasn't a complete lie, but the truth was hardly appropriate.

Marion uncrossed her arms, she had something in her hand. "I found this on the ground." she cried, opening her hand. In her palm lay a little cracked black comb, "I was going to give it back to him... when you found him." She stammered. Marion dropped it on the ground and put her hand out to Indiana. "Take me home." she said blankly, "I hate this place."


	8. Chapter 8

What's it like to be dead? Cold. It's always cold. Like in a morgue. Unless you go down under. Then it's probably unbearably hot. And you have no body. So you must, like float or something. So you would feel light. It would be quiet. Ghosts always whisper, and anyway, they have no ears. It would be bright and white, or a fiery red of bubbling lava. Would there be a castle? They call it a kingdom, does that mean there has to be a castle? A king can't live in an apartment can he? And since you have no body when you're dead, it couldn't hurt any more. Even if you were cut into a million pieces, you would be at peace.

So he wasn't dead then.

Mutt peeled open his eyes and groaned painfully. Dark grey elephants looked down at him angrily through a frame of green leaves. No. Not elephants. Clouds. But angry none-the-less. The clouds' eyes furrowed in the wind menacingly, before softening almost into a laugh. "Stupid clouds." Mutt moaned breathlessly at the condescending weather front.

Note to self. It hurts to talk. Don't waste breath on inanimate objects.

It also hurt, Mutt noted, not to talk.

Mutt moved his head slightly. More branches, more leaves. So he was up a tree. He must be lying on branches… that can't be very safe. It would probably be a good idea to get down from the tree. Probably.

Mutt tried to pull himself up. It hurt too much.

Maybe he could just stay here. Build a big birds nest out of branches. That would be comfy. And he could sleep till after lunch. Nobody to tell him off. It would be like a giant hammock. That wouldn't be so bad. Except maybe the food. Hopefully this was a peach tree, that would be ok. Or maybe a chip tree. But then he would get fat and break his nest. He would never find a nice bird to share his nest with if he was fat.

He rubbed his fore-head gently, the apple-sized bump throbbed through his skull. He couldn't think straight, or even bendy for that matter.

Mutt looked at his hand. It was a pretty cool thing to have. And all the fingers moved individually, just by thinking about it. That's something special. He moved his clever hand to a nearby branch and pulled himself carefully and painfully to a seated position.

He wasn't sitting on branches. He was in a big metal cup. It wobbled and creaked when it moved. It had two windows on it, they were all cracked, looking down towards the ground, which was really far away. Was there someone there? No. two people, on the ground. It was hard to tell, they just looked like brown smudges. Mutt waved to them slowly, but the smudges smudged away. Oh well.

There were buttons in the cup. Maybe one of them would take him down to the ground.

Mutt pushed a button with his good hand. Nothing happened.

A good hand? That must mean there's a bad one too. Mutt looked at his left hand. Not bad really. It still had those clever moving fingers. But they hurt to move. His arm had a deep cut from bicep to near his wrist. He knew it was there because his leather jacket was cut. And there was blood running out from under his sleeve.

It's too hot in the rainforest for a leather jacket. Why was he wearing one? Girls like leather. He should keep it on.

Mutt used his good arm to pull himself to his feet. Black dots specked in front of his eyes. His head hurt again and he wanted to fall over. But he held himself up with his good arm. Because he didn't want to have to stand up again. His legs hurt, but not as bad as his bad arm. But they were both there, and they would both move. It was his stomach that hurt the most. Mutt opened his jacket. The bottom of his shirt was all wet, dark and wet. It dripped down his pants.

"Aww damn." Mutt wheezed, genuinely upset "I look like I wet myself"

The nose of the broken plane wobbled and creeked under his feet. Maybe it would be better on the ground than in the cup. The buttons didn't seem to be working.

Agonisingly, Mutt pulled himself out of the wreckage and on to a thick branch. The move sapped the energy from him, the spots still danced, and his headache worsened. Mutt looked down. There was no way he could climb down. Not without falling. And he was probably damaged enough.

But he had his school bag. It had a parachute in it didn't it. Someone had told him that. But he couldn't remember who. The man with the hat.

Mutt checked. He pulled the cord and a big blanket popped out. It fell limply bellow his feet and into the trees bellow. He had never used a parachute before. What did you do now.

Oh, you had to fall.

Mutt stepped off the branch.

Branches and leaves smacked him in the face and body as he fell. He fell very fast. Wasn't a parachute supposed to make you slow?

Suddenly he stopped moving. The strings on his backpack tightened. The force took the wind from his lungs.

He was nearer the ground now. Only a few feet.

Mutt wriggled out the backpack and fell harshly to the ground. It was a little further than if had seemed and he twisted his ankle a little. He fell to his knees and threw up. He hadn't been expecting that. He then sat against the tree. Tree falling was exhausting. Everything still hurt. He threw up again. Jeeze that was sore. He leaned his head against the tree and flopped his arms to the ground.

And then he felt something in his good hand. Something small and spiky. He picked it up and looked at it. "Hey," He smiled, "My comb!" Carefully, he put the comb his jacket pocket, lolled his head back, and fell back into deep unconsciousness.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own Indiana Jones

Chapter 9

It was well after nightfall when Marion and Indiana finally came across the camp. They had walked quickly and in silence, Marion walking with her head down, her eyes expressionless. A zombie to the world.

Indiana had decided that they should remain cautious about entering the camp. Although British flags littered the make-shift camp, it was always possible that the Russians were trying to conceal their whereabouts. Marion ignored the advice silently. Instead she marched right up to a border guard. The guard looked a little shocked and raised his gun. Head down, not watching, not caring, Marion simply walked past him. "We're American." she said as she passed.

It seemed to do the trick.

Marion and Indiana were introduced to the captain of the troop, and eccentric sterotypical Englishman with a big bushy beard, bright red cheeks and a booming voice. It was as if he had been popped into the 20th century straight from the Crimean War. His soldiers rolled their eyes at him when he spoke.

"Well that's a right pickle you've got yourself into there." Captain McCormack thundered after Indiana had explained the situation. "We were sent here to find out what those Commies were up to in here, but if what you say is true, we can all pack up and head back to England." The Captain wiped his sweaty head with a handkerchief and put it back in his pocket. "And not a damned minute too soon. This place makes me sweat like a Nazi on a holiday to Nuremberg." He laughed gruffly then looked over to silent Marion, "Pardon the crudity mam." The Captain shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably.

"But you'll get a good night's sleep with us tonight and we'll fly you out first thing in the morning." Captain McCormack thought for a moment, "Not that you'll be sleeping _with _us per-say.. but on the camp...somewhere...private"

The Captain had clearly had very little to do with women.

"And before we go I'll send out some of my boys to get your men from the crash site. Send them back to Yank Land. Get them a proper burial. If we can get to them before the baboons do...vicious bastards" He laughed. Stopped. Then apologised.

"Private Giles will show you to your room."

The Private led them to a small tent with two military cots pushed together. Still in silence, Marion pushed them apart before lying down fully clothed.

Hurt, and still feeling totally useless, Indiana settled down to a restless sleep.

Late into the night, Indiana woke to the sound of soft sniffling. He opened his eyes and noticed that Marion had pushed the beds back together. She was lying with her back to him, crying softly. Indiana put his arms around her. She put her hands on his arms and pulled him in tightly. After an hour or so her crying stopped and was replaced with quiet sleeping. For the first time since the crash, Indiana felt as if he had a purpose.

The next day it was raining.

When Indiana peeked his head out the tent, saw a mass military officers splashing around the camp in full gear, miserably performing routines and exercises in the torrent. Captain McCormack saw him from a distance and came over to greet him.

"Good morning Doctor." he boomed cheerfully, "I hope I didn't offend the misses last night." He pointed over to a waiting helicopter, "If you head early you can have breakfast back home. You Yanks like pancakes and muffins and all that. We'll send your boys over when we fly back in two days time."

"

About that..." Indiana mumbled, "I don't know if that's such a good idea. It was a pretty bad crash."

The Captain looked a little confused before realisation swept over him like a strong whiskey. "Damned sad stuff." He said sadly, "Your only son you say."

"And childhood friend." Indiana added.

"I can see why the wife's taking it badly."

"She's not..." Indiana started at the wife comment.

"Oh she is." The Captain interrupted, "And if you don't see that you're a damned fool. Even I can see that, and I've been accused of being insensitive by many women in my life. Do you know how I know" He winked as if he held a long withheld secret, "Because she's quiet. Women are never quiet unless there upset about something. You always know an argument's coming when they stop talking. Not a damned thing you can do about it though..."

He realised he had slipped off onto a tangent.

"And she's lost her son." he blurted, "That'll upset anybody." He thought for a moment, "Well how about we go collect some of his belongings. You should have something to bury. It just isn't right for the soul to bury and empty coffin."

Indiana thought about it. Maybe he had a point. Indiana had never been a strong religious person, but somehow an empty coffin just seemed wrong. "Ok." Indiana agreed, "But I'd like to come with you. Pick out their stuff." The thought of going back to that place froze his blood. But it somehow seemed important.

"Jolly good." Captain McCormack boomed, patting Dr Jones on the back as if they had just agreed a good price for the sale of a second hand car.

A few moments later Marion peeked through from the tent, looking groggy and pale. She remained quiet while she was ushered to the helicopter. Indiana came over to see her off. "You're staying?" she asked quietly. Indiana looked uncomfortable, he didn't like lying to her. But it was for the best, "I'm going with them... to get Mutt and Oxley... make sure they treat them well. I'll see you in a couple of days."

Marion teared up and threw her arms around Indiana. "Thank you." she cried.

_____________________________________________________________

The next time Mutt woke from the darkness was a little more unsettling. The confusion was gone, his head felt better and he no longer felt sick but in it's place lay the burning realisation of his situation. God knows how long he had been out, an hour? A day? He was alone, in the middle of a rainforest, miles from the nearest help and wounded. And it was now raining, like rain he had never seen before. Great big fat lumps of rain that pounded against the ground flattening foliage and creating instant pools and streams where none had been before.

Mutt wiped the water from his face, pulled himself up on to his knees and took a quick mental note of the areas of concern. Although he had tiny cuts all over from his fall from the tree (Although he couldn't figure out what on earth had possessed him to do that?) his arm and stomach appeared to be the only big bleeders. Carefully, he peeled off his leather jacket and dropped it on the ground. He looked on his arm. It ran from the middle of his upper arm right down to the base of his thumb, barely missing the main artery. The cut was jagged, long, but not too deep. The bleeding had mostly clotted except at the arm bent at the inside of the elbow. The blood dripped from that wound slowly. It would need covered.

Mutt pulled up his T-shirt, his stomach was a little more serious. Deep red blood continued to stream steadily from the bullet-like wound, below and right of his navel. And there seemed to be something shiny sticking out of it.

This was not going to be nice.

Grabbing hold of the shard was difficult enough. It was slippy from both the blood and rain, and only a tiny awkward piece was peeking from the surface. After getting a good grip, Mutt closed his eyes and counted to three. Then he pulled hard. He groaned loudly in pain as the shard slid out. He looked at it. The piece of twisted metal was about the length of his index finger. He thre it to the ground.

Leaning back on his arms, Mutt let the rainwater clean out the newly aggravated wound. Now for the bandages. Mutt looked at his leather jacket. The leather was too tough to cut but the lining could do the job. He pulled out his knife and paused. He looked down at the jacket in his hands. It _was_ a really nice jacket. And he had saved up a whole month's pay for it...

Mutt shook his head and reminded himself just how much trouble he was in. He then cut out the jacket's lining and wrapped it tightly around his arm,waist and a few other random cuts on his hands, his right arm and his neck.

But now he was patched up what would he do? His first instinct was to wait. His mother and father would be looking for him. So maybe it would be easier for them to figure out his location if he stayed still. But surely they would have found him my now. They had only jumped moments before the crash. The likelihood was that there was no-one coming for him. He would have to do this for himself.

Painfully, he pulled himself to his feet and surveyed his surroundings. It looked pretty much like it always did. All full of tree's and plants and stuff. No landmarks to help him figure out where he was. Before they had jumped, Indiana had told them to meet somewhere. He had said to walk... North? South? He hadn't been paying that much attention. Stupid.

Mutt looked up at the sun's silhouette through the black clouds. It was it rising or falling? What time was it? He had no watch.

Mutt rubbed his head in his hand. It was useless. He couldn't navigate with the sun. Or the stars. And even if he could, he couldn't remember which way he was supposed to go? Some adventurer he would have been.

Mutt closed his eyes, turned slowly in a circle and stopped. Then he hobbled painfully forwards, further into the depths of the rainforest.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own Indiana Jones

_Thanks for the reviews, especially repeat reviewers, Battered Notebook, Insanely Random, Lillith and Writing Destiny, who have been reading since pretty much the start. You keep me in the mood :-)_

It was drawing close to evening when Captain McCormack finally approached Indiana about setting out to the crash site. The rain had been so consistent and strong that the troops had spent the whole day trying to stop their tents flooding and the armoury spoiling. "I can't come myself I'm afraid fellow." The Captain explained, "This lot'll probably have a shin-dig while I'm away. Drink my secret stash of Whiskey. Useless lot." Indiana couldn't tell if he was joking.

"But I've got a truck ready, just one of those little Landrovers, the big ones are as much use as a chocolate teapot in this damned forest, spend more time crashing into trees than moving."

"I don't mind waiting until tomorrow." Indiana explained, "We won't have much time before nightfall."

"Poppyscotch." The Captain replied, "You've got plenty time. And anyway you want to get in there before the locals, they'll swipe anything shiny before you know it."

"Locals?"

"Oh, yes. We've had quite a few problems with them. Vicious savages. They've attacked my men on many occasions, trying to steal our cutlery and other such shiny objects. Only with darts and sticks mind you. But they've got the upper hand in this territory. We've had to make a tactical withdraw on all occasions."

"You retreated?" Indiana laughed.

The Captain turned an deeper shade of red.

"Tactical Withdrawal." He repeated threateningly. Indiana smiled.

"Well you had better head off." Captain McCormack said saluting casually, the change of conversation necessary, "Good luck."

Unsurprisingly, they drove in silence, the trooper not quite as articulate and insensitive as his superior officer. The journey that had taken an exhausting days trek, took only 20 minutes in the bouncing truck. He was there again, among the twisted metal, burnt foliage and the gruesome remains of his only son. The truck stopped. Indiana could feel his stomach turning and the raging guilt once again attempting to pry it's way up and out.

He was doing this for Mutt and Oxley. They needed to be taken home, back to America and away from this godforsaken place, in spirit at least.

Indiana splashed out the car and began his apprehensive search.

Within the hour Indiana had managed to scavenge a small bag full of bits and pieces from the flooded ground. He felt under the water with his fingers ignoring anything soft or flesh like, mentally blocking what it could be. In his little bag he had some metal pieces, burnt material, buttons and some singed shoe leather. Nothing bigger than a coin. But he had decided he would get some bigger things when he went back home. Oxley would be buried with his books, and Mutt, well, it would have to be his bike. And his comb, the kid could never leave his hair alone.

"His comb." Indiana said out loud, "Where did Marion find that?" Carefully he retraced his steps back to where he had left Marion previously. He kept his head down, searching on the ground for the now priceless black plastic comb.

Suddenly Indiana felt something light tickle down his neck. He stopped and remained perfectly still. It was probably a spider. And in these forests there were spiders that could kill you in an instant. There would one more body amongst the ruins. Very, very slowly, he raised his right arm towards his neck. It hovered there for a moment, before slapping himself painfully where he had last felt the creature. The aim of the plan had been of the strike first variety.

There was no telling if it was dead. Slowly Indiana raised his head, waiting for the lethal bite. But it never came. He let out a long sigh of relief, and looked back behind him, aware than he could be standing under a web or nest.

There was no spider web.

Instead there was a thin piece of string, dangling from the tree. It must have been what tickled his neck. Indiana crumpled up his face in confusion. His eyes followed the string upwards, into the tree, where, further up the string attached to a recognisable, although well camouflaged, parachute, tangled high amongst the branches. And dangling about a a metre above his head was the backpack?

Indiana rubbed his face with both hands. He had been here before, he was sure. And there had been no parachute. Definitely not. Maybe one of the chuts had fallen out during the crash. Somehow opened its self. Or maybe....

No. It was a cruel trick of coincidence. They were dead. He had seen the evidence with his own eyes. All that remained was a tiny drawstring bag of trinkets. As if he hadn't suffered enough, false hope was the cruellest trick of all.

But not worth ignoring.

Indiana searched on the ground for a clue. A footprint maybe. It had been so wet it would be impossible to tell. The water level here now sat about a foot above the ground. But there was something else that hadn't been there before.

Indiana pulled the heavy garment from the water. A black leather jacket. He examined it in a rushed, excited manner. There was a rip in the sleeve, some staining, and the lining had been ripped...no cut...a clean cut.. with a knife! He was alive! His son was alive!

_____________________________________________________________

Mutt wished he's kept his jacket. He was soaked to the skin, through the skin and out the other side, and even though the rain had now stopped, the moist air prevented him from drying. It must the wetness, Mutt figured, that was making him shiver uncontrollably. It was because he was soaked, Mutt reckoned, that his skin had turned a deathly white. It was the rain, he convinced himself, that was causing his wounds to throb and burn. And it was the moisture, Mutt decided, that was causing him to drip with cold clammy sweat even though he felt as hot as a furnace. But worst of all, it was making his hair curl,

Mutt stopped and leaned against a tree. Nothing was changing. It was the same trees, bushes and animals that he had been looking at for the last however many hours. There was no open green-land, no hills, no rocks. Just stupid trees. He grabbed his comb from his jeans and pulled it shakily through his hair before replacing it.

He pulled his bandage back from his arm a little to check to wound. It had stopped bleeding and was a little red round the cut. It hurt when he touched it or moved his arm, aggravating the wound under the elbow, but it wasn't too bad considering. He then pulled back the bandage on his stomach.

It wasn't a pretty sight. Thin water-like blood immediately began streaming from the wound when he pulled the cloth away although the mark itself had turned almost black. A red, swollen rim, about and inch in diameter surrounded the injury. It felt hot to touch and throbbed constantly.

"Shit." Mutt muttered as he pulled the bandage carefully back down. He shut his eyes for a moment. They felt hot and comfortable when he closed them. Urging him to sleep. He pulled himself up. "Need to keep moving." he said to himself sleepily before trudging forward another 15 paces.

He stopped again.

He just couldn't stop shaking. Maybe if he could get just a little bit sleep. It would help.

He walked forward another 10 paces.

He stopped again.

Just a nap. Not a sleep. A power nap. To get his energy back.

Mutt painfully pulled himself up into a raised cluster of roots. They were hammock like, above the flooded water level. He leaned back and closed his eyes. Just for five minutes.

A few hours later Mutt opened his eyes. It was dark, with a silver moon shining through the tree tops. He couldn't move, every inch was agony. His heart raced and pounded,so much so that he could feel it in his head and his neck. Sweat dripped into his eyes from his forehead. His whole body felt like it was on fire. And his stomach. He could feel the heat from the wound through his T-shirt. His eyes felt heavier than they had ever been. Begging him to let them close.

A surge of panic blasted through him. He was dying. Soon. Even if someone found him, Indiana or his mum, there was nothing they could do for him now. This wasn't how he expected to die. Not that he had really thought about it. When you're young, you're invincible. You can ride a motorbike without a helmet, you can start brawls at the disco, you ran run in front of cars during a chase, you can start a fight with a Russian with not an ounce of fear. These things can't kill you when you're young. Because when you're young death is just pretend. Its just a word. You don't _really_ think about it, It isn't real.

Except Mutt was sure he was dying. And as his eyelids won the war, closing gently, he was scared.


	11. Chapter 11

Sorry this has taken longer than forever. Totally lost the spirit for it then started back at work and have had an absolutely hectic few weeks. Updates wont be as regular as before, but hopefully once a week. Hope it's still decent quality, I'm finding it quite hard to write at the moment.

Disclaimer: I don't own Indiana Jones

Chapter 11

Night had come and gone and Indiana was still slogging through the undergrowth, searching relentlessly. Constellations sailed by slowly and painfully as the survival countdown dripped away. Indiana knew the boy was injured. The leather jacket that he now clutched as tightly, more precious than the lost treasures he'd ever discovered, was torn and stained with blood. And he knew that the injury was potentially fatal... no, potential had nothing to do with it. I was definitely fatal. In the rainforest even the smallest scrape is a death sentence. Insects nest in the snug wounds and infection settles in in the moist, warm air in a matter of hours.

And tracking him was taking too long. Indiana was one of the best trackers in the world. A lifetime of searching lost treasures and trinkets. But he was used to tracking things that had never been found. Objects, riches that had been waiting patiently for hundreds of years. The tedious game of losing the trail then finding it again was exciting, invigorating. But the same same process here was excruciating. For every 15 minutes found, was lost again for an hour. And now the sun was rising.

Indiana knew the boy couldn't have survived the night. That he was looking for a body, not a boy.

And what if he had survived? Indiana had been in such a rush to find the kid before he got too lost that he had stormed away without even informing the British soldier. The poor confused grunt was probably still sitting in his truck waiting, too scared to return back to the Captain alone. Indiana hadn't thought to grab supplies. He had nothing but a drawstring bag of buttons and boot leather. No food, no medicine, no bandages… nothing. There were plants indigenous to the area, he knew, that could be used as medication. Local tribes had made and used them since the beginning of time. But even if he knew what they looked like, which he didn't, there were deadly fakes tempting the uneducated and unworthy.

It was hopeless.

But he kept on walking. Follow the trail till there's no trail to follow.

Indiana continued on.

He would never forgive himself for failing Marion again. Indiana had been the one who flunked the take off, ultimately damaging the plane beyond it's working potential. He had been the one trying to gently persuade the petrified kid to jump, when that element of choice should have been simply taken away. He had also been the one who tried to persuade Marion not to go looking at the crash site. But they should have looked. They should have looked harder.

It was his responsibility as an adult, as Mutt's father, to look after him.

What a pathetic end to his pathetic short reign as a father. He ran away from his wedding. A coward, worried that some young adventurous little thing might pass him by while he settled down into comfortable normality. And indeed in his bachelor days he caught many young adventurous little things. But they were always to boring, or girly, or busy, or needy, or serious, or weak or just... not like Marion.

So what did he get by running away?

A fistful of one night stands, a whole load of loansome Friday nights, and nearly two decades of missed opportunities with this spunky little kid of his spunky little lover. Indiana would like to have seen a comparison between Mutt and himself, a little genetic quirk. But even though they shared some attributes, these same characteristics were also shared by Marion. Mutt was his mother through and through. Nurture kicked nature right in the ass. And he had walked right out of the nurture rights when he bailed on the wedding.

Indiana suddenly stopped, his pit of self pity temporarily withdrawn while the survival instinct kicked in. Something was moving in the trees ahead of him. Something with bright green eyes and razor white teeth.

The massive jaguar stepped out from the undergrowth slowly, barely making the slightest noise on the flooded forest floor. His his eyes remained viciously focused on Indiana. In his mouth was a bloody chunk of meat. His face dyed red with still wet blood. Red dripped down his teeth and dripped into the water bellow. He gave a low, quiet growl.

Indiana stood perfectly still. He broke eye contact, looked away, hoping to persuade the cat that he was not threat.

The jaguar disappeared as quickly as it had came. Sneaking silently unto the undergrowth to find a dry place to consume his meal. Indiana took a moment to himself and a sigh of relief before continuing on the trail. As he waded through he tried not to think about the bloody meat as he walked.

Yet the bloody meat was all he could think of a few moments later when the trail suddenly gave way. It stopped dead at a large tangle of tree roots sitting just above the water line. In the nest lay the remains of a ripped and bloody shirt. Mutt's shirt. The slivers of torn material barely recognisable as the same light grey top he had been wearing on his perilous journey.

Indiana wanted to shout. To scream. To tear the branches from the trees. To kick and punch until he had nothing left to give. Indiana wanted to, and maybe even he would have, it he hadn't felt something sharp on his neck immediately before completely passing out.

... a face, small and brown, with bright jewellery...

..........................................................................................................................

...Go away...

.........................................................................................................................

... it hurts. Shouldn't be up... better lying down...

.........................................................................................................................

...Singing and drums. Thundering painful....

........................................................................................................................

...smoky. Can't breath. Masked man shouting and shaking a stick....

........................................................................................................................

...poking and prodding...don't touch th.....

........................................................................................................................

... Just go away...

.......................................................................................................................

...pretty girl with water to drink. Smiles like and angel...

.......................................................................................................................

...was better asleep...

.......................................................................................................................

...Indiana? Go Away. It's what you're good at...


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer – I don't own Indiana Jones**

Chapter 12

When Indiana Jones had awoken he had found himself in a small, round, dark room. Golden slivers of bright light peeked in through gaps in the wooden thatched walls creating a wave like pattern on the ground. Although he was alone, with no guard to be seen, it was noisy. A bustling sound of people, domestic animals and activity radiated through the walls from the thatched hut.

Indiana tried to move and found that he was tied by the wrists round some sort of post, his hands beside his back. He was sitting on a dirt floor and his feet were bound straight out in front of him by the ankles. Although this was the sitting position favoured by most two to five year olds, it was worse than agony for a man of age to receive a free bus pass and an offer of a hamper of tinned food from the church every Autumn.

Agonizingly, Indiana pulled his feet his side, it felt like moving lead as they were brought back to life and angry pins and needles immediately raced down his legs. How long had he been left here? Slowly feeling began to creep back into his old joints and the pain subsided.

Now to work on escape.

Indiana pulled his arms up and down on the post behind him. The wooden post was rough, hopefully he could snag the rope and break it quickly. At the very least he would be able to ware the binds down enough to eventually snap. If he had enough time of course. Who knows what his unseen captor wanted. And when he would be dropping in for a visit.

It was definitely a tribal hut, and the noise of chickens and dogs coming from the outside suggested a seizable tribe. As he worked on his ropes Indiana tried to remember what he knew about he locals. Not much it seemed. All of his encounters had been aggressive ones, the South American tribes being very secretive and wary of outsiders trespassing on their land. Best case scenario: they let him go and he would be once again totally lost in the jungle with no supplies. Worst scenario: deep fried Indy brain is on tonight's menu.

Indiana wasn't in a betting mood. He pulled at his restraints harder and harder, barely noticing when the whole hut started shaking with the strain. Indiana did notice, however, when he heard alarmed shouting from outside and moment later a small South American boy, about 12 years old, appeared at the door and held up a rather vicious looking bow and arrow to him.

Indiana froze. Tribal children are well trained and deadly by the time they can walk.

The boy said nothing, but took a side step. Behind him walked in a man who obviously had great importance. Like the boy, he wore very little clothes, barely a handkerchief to cover his modesty. But his status was evident from the patterns on his body and the decorations he wore. His body was painted with delicate spiral drawings in black and red from forehead to his intricate toes. And his face was obscured by a massive array of piercings. On and in his nose, his neck, his eye brows, his ears, cheeks and lips. Seizable piercings made from what Indiana presumed to be bone.

The man walked in and gestured for a a third individual to enter the hut. Surprisingly, the third to enter was western looking girl, with long blonde hair. She was maybe 24, 25 years old and was dressed in a plane vest top and jeans. She stood formally beside who Indiana guessed to be the tribal leader.

The leader spoke something incomprehensible.

The blonde girl nodded and turned to Indiana. "You have been caught trespassing on the tribe of the Jaguar." she said in a clean English accent.

The leader continued.

"You're people have brought a curse upon our tribe." The girl said gravely.

He spoke again.

"To appease the Gods, you will be offered as a sacrifice." She said sadly.

Indiana leaned pulled on his binds. "Don't I get some choice in the matter?" He asked.

The girl relayed the message to the tribal leader and he responded.

"Afraid not." She sighed, "It's been a tough year. Everyone's a bit on edge." She apologised.

"You're going to kill me because you're a 'bit on edge!" Indiana exclaimed. A bad year! That was their excuse! If prizes were to be given out for bad years, surely he deserved the biggest prize of all. Never mind the full year. The last five days had been the most terrible of his life. "How about you take your PMS out on someone a little more deserving!" he growled.

The girl shrugged. "He's agreed to sedate you with poison before they burn you." She said, "Do you really want me to relay that message to him? You don't really want to change his mind."

Indiana pulled at the ropes again, "Poisoned first? Well thank the lord for small graces." He spat sarcastically, "And you're going to stand by and let that happen?" he asked the fellow Westerner.

The girl shrugged sadly, "What exactly do you think I could do about it? One girl against the whole tribe? And anyway, it's not my place to judge."

Indiana put the pieces together, "So you're a journalist then." he said with venom, "Your kind like to watch the most horrible atrocities, record them and do nothing about them."

The girl turned a shade of red. "Keep your opinions to yourself." She said threateningly. "It's none of your damn business."

He had obviously hit a nerve. The girl was almost shaking with rage. The red from her face moved slowly down her neck and chest. She spoke something to the tribal leader. The leader then gestured to the boy who went behind Indiana and started fiddling with the ropes. For a moment Indiana contemplated a surprise attack as soon as the ropes were removed, but he quickly realised he would be dead before he even reached the door. He would have to plan his escape carefully.

After removing Indiana from the post, re-tied his hands and cut the binds from his ankles. He pulled Indiana up with the strength of a man twice his age. The girl was looking more and more uncomfortable. "I'm really sorry." she said sincerely, "There's really nothing I can do."

Indiana decided not to give her the satisfaction of a response. Let her feel the guilt for the rest of her life. Let her _record_ how _bad_ she felt when she watched a human being burnt to death.

The boy pushed Indiana roughly out of the hut.

The village wasn't as big as Indiana had envisioned. It was made up of about 15 hunts, arranged in a circle. At the centre of the circle was a circle of dry wood with a long wooden steak in the middle.

As Indiana came into vision, the rest of the tribe began to circle round the pyre. The women, similarly clad to the men with their breasts covered only by brightly coloured beads, picked up their children and brought them over to watch. Indiana wished that he could be surprised by their keenness to watch someone die, but the crowd sicknenly reminded him of the public hangings of the Nazi's after the war. It seemed bloodlust was a human attribute that was difficult to suppress.

A deathly silence filled the forest. Even the rainforest animals seemed to hush for a time.

As he was slowly marched to his death Indiana searched for any opportunity to escape. A gap in the crowd, a structure to hide behind, a dense patch of forest. Panicked, his eyes darted, surveying and analysing his surroundings.

Then he saw something.

Something he never thought he would see.

At the other side of the pyre lay a figure on a makeshift bed in the shade. He was unmoving, pale. Petals, flowers and leaves were scattered all over his body. Alive or dead, he didn't know. It didn't matter. Filled with the courage or stupidity that can only overwhelm the soul of a parent, Indiana shrugged off his guard, braved the poise darts, knives and spears and ran towards his son.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

_Disclaimer - I don't own Indiana Jones_

_We're at a fork road folks. We can either edge towards an end to the story with a daring escape, or we can indulge in another Mutt and Indiana adventure related to Mutt's 'important purpose' and a bit more our new character. I'm aware that it's turning out much longer than expected, don't want you all to get bored, like 'Lost' of the fanfiction world. Let me know what you want. Highest votes win._

Indiana barely noticed the feathered darts flying millimetres past his face. He was oblivious to the diving bodies trying to grab him as he raced past. He was totally unaware of the spear as it cut a wound an inch thick across his shoulder as if it were warm butter. All he saw as he ran was the face of the boy that he had been sure on two separate occasions, was definitely dead.

But was he?

There was no sign of any breath. The flowers lying on his chest were perfectly still.

Indiana made it to the boy and grabbed him by a cold hand. He had less than a moment before the blood thirsty crowd would be on him.

"Mutt!" He cried, "Mutt talk to me." He grabbed at his face, his dirty hands a stark contrast to the boy's grey skin.

Mutt's face flopped side to side in his hands.

Indiana felt a rough hand grab him by the neck and a punch to the back of the head. He was pushed forward on the bed but refused to go down.

"Please Mutt." he begged, shaking him by the shoulders, "I'm here for you."

Another body was on him in milliseconds, weighing him down, punching and jabbing at him to make him fall. Indiana had never been good at football, even as a young man. He was beginning to crumble on to the increasing weight.

But then Mutt opened his eyes. Just a little. Barely even visible. As Indiana fell to the ground he heard a little mumble. The most amazing words he had ever heard. "Go 'way." came the little slurred groan, "z' what jur good at."

On the ground, his face pressed into the wet mud, gasping for breath, through the stabbing and prodding and punching Indiana smiled. He was alive.

Indiana felt his body being forcefully turned to face the now setting sky. Hands held his arms and legs in place as the tribe leader and walked into vision. He looked down angrily and placed a bare foot on Indiana's neck. He began pushing more and more weight down as he spoke.

Moments later came the English translation. "How dare you touch the child of the Gods." she said without emotion, "You will suffer a thousand deaths for your crime. You will beg for the tongues of fire to take you before you die."

He leaned harder, Indiana began to feel the pressure build up in his head as both air and blood were deprived. Green and black spot began to dance in front of his eyes.

"He's...... my..... son." Indiana gasped as the spots grew larger and denser.

The spots were gone and his eyes had started to roll back into his head when he heard the girl suddenly talk in an urgent manner. He heard the leader talk back aggressively and a small kick was sent under his rib cage. If he had been in the fortunate circumstance of being able to breath, he probably would have been winded. The girl was speaking urgently again, even angrily, threateningly. And then the leader took his foot off Indiana's neck. Blood and air came rushing back so quickly that Indiana couldn't help but pass out.

_____________________________________________________________

When Indiana woke, he was in the same thatched hut hut again. But this time he wasn't tied. Painfully, Indiana leaned up, groaning and rubbing his bruised neck. The English girl was sitting at the other end of the hut in a cross legged position. She was grinding something up in a large pestle and mortar.

"What did you say to him then?" Indiana asked in a horse voice.

The girl never looked up from her task in hand. "I told him that you were the boy's father, and that if he killed you the gods might not look to kindly on him."

The girl stopped what she was doing and looked up with bright blue eyes.

"Are you really his father?" she asked very seriously.

"Yes." Indiana replied, "Is he ok?"

The girl said nothing and walked over with her bowl. "Sit up and take your shirt off." She said. "This will help your arm."

Indiana hadn't even noticed that his shoulder had been cut. Obviously some time during the scuffle. He duly did as he was told. "You never answered the question." he reminded her.

The girl began to spread a glue like mixture on his wound. It was cold like ice, and the pain subsided immediately. "We found him the day before we found you." she said, "The tribe don't take kindly to strangers, especially white strangers. They would have killed him, like they wanted to kill you. Not that they would have got that far. He would have died within hours if we hadn't brought him here."

"So what made them change their minds?" Indiana asked, "Something makes me think that you wouldn't have interfered with 'the way they do things'."

The dig was unnecessary and unfair. The girl pressed the medicine into the would a little more briskly causing Indiana to wince.

"There was a jaguar sitting beside him. Just sitting there. When we arrived it stood up and walked away. Like it was passing on the responsibility for the boy. They took it as an omen from the Gods. That the boy had been sent to us for a reason."

She finished tending to the wound. "You can put your shirt back on." she said blankly.

"What's your name?" Indiana asked gently.

"They call me Eldora." she said.

"But what's your name?" he said, pulling on his shirt, "Your real name.?"

"They call me Eldora." she repeated.

"Well 'Eldora', if that's what you prefer to be called." Indiana said impatiently, "You seem to be avoiding my question. Is my son going to be ok?"

"Maybe... I think so" Eldora replied uncertainly, "He's recovering, the medicines are working, but he's still very sick."

Indiana stood up and moved towards the door. "Well I'd like to see him then."

The girl stood up and grabbed Indiana by the arm roughly. "The only reason you're alive is because I pulled the superstition card on these guys." she said seriously, "If you try to take the boy..."

"His name is Mutt."

"If you try to take him, they'll kill you as quick as lightning, and me for persuading them to keep you alive. They think the boy... Mutt, has an important purpose. That he'll save the tribe. Don't pull anything stupid."

Indiana pulled his arm away. "I just want to see my son." he said angrily. He walked out the hut.

"What kind of a stupid name for a kid is Mutt anyway." Eldora sighed as he left.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I don't own Indiana Jones

_Going for the long version. Hope I can keep you all interested. Got the idea that nobody liked Eldora, but she's important to the plot. So I'll try to keep her involvement to a minimum. I'm off for two weeks to I'll try to keep the story flowing nice and fast._

The doorbell had gone off twice now. She couldn't ignore it forever. She knew he knew she was there. The serious looking uniform clad officer had seen her sitting by the window as he had walked up to the door. But Marion didn't want to answer. Men in uniforms don't come to the door with good news. They come with a letter and an apology. Like they did with her husband.

She had been sitting looking at old photos when the officer had arrived. Little black and white snippets of moments lost.

A visit to the beach. Baby Mutt in nothing but a pair of dipers sitting on the sand between a grinning Colin Williams' legs. The baby held a fist-full of sand in his chubby hand and his mouth was open, ready to taste this new and interesting product.

His favourite bicycle with little metal stabilisers. One was higher than the other so he would tip from one side the the other nosily as he cycled along. His face was of pure concentration. His tongue sticking out a little. He thought he was going a million miles an hour, but Marion barely had to break a sweat to keep up with him.

His first day at school. Little grey shorts and a leather satchel that trailed across the floor. He was grinning a little toothless grin.

His first motorbike. He stands next to his pride and joy in jeans and no shirt, sadly mistaking his skinny teenage body for that of Marlon Brando. When he bought it, the motorbike was a rusty wreck. He took nearly a year to make it work. Marion barely saw her son for weeks on end.

The doorbell rang again.

Marion had taken all the bad news she could handle this week. She had taken enough bad news to last her life time. Indiana hadn't returned like he'd promised. That was why the officer was here. She knew it.

Mutt was gone. Colin was gone. Oxley was gone. Indy was gone. There was no one left. A curse seemed to follow her shadow.

She stood up and slowly opened the door. "Can I help you?" she asked blankly.

The officer took his had off with a little bow. "Miss Williams?" he said gravely, handing over a little white letter.

_____________________________________________________________

Mutt opened his eyes. As he pulled his arm up to wipe his eyes he felt the effort drain him. Indiana was looking down at him with a concerned face. "Awake at last?" he said. Mutt closed his eyes again, he groaned, "Just five more minutes." he complained, "Another half an hour. An hour. It's not even light yet."

"Easily sorted." Indiana smiled as he opened the hut door, showering the room with bright midday sun.

"Geez!" Mutt whined, wincing, "Give me a break."

"You've been on a break for over a week now." Indiana said walking back over to the bed, "Time to get up."

Mutt moved to lean up in the bed, but stopped as a wave of pain hit him, bolting up from his stomach. "Crap." He swore as the last few days slowly began to assemble in his head.

"Language." His father warned as he helped his son to sit.

"How did you find me?" Mutt asked as he examined his wounds. He was topless and his stomach was bandaged up in dirty grey linen. Little blue flowers could be seen sneaking out from the bandages. His arm was also tender. Large, uneven stitches train tracked the wound from his elbow to the base of his thumb. Stitches that even Dr Frankenstein would scorn as being untidy. But to his credit the wound seemed to be healing well and there was little pain as he flexed his hand.

"I never." Indiana admitted. "The locals did. Then found me afterwards"

"Where's mum?" Mutt asked instinctively, pulling himself up further on the bed and looking about as though she should be somewhere in the room "Is she ok?" he panicked, "And Oxley?"

"Your mum is fine." Indiana reassured him, "She got a flight out of here. We met up with the military before these guys got their hands on me. Oxley... he didn't make it."

A deep silence filled the hut.

"He had cancer you know." Mutt said, remembering his last moments with his surrogate father.

"I had guessed." Indiana admitted. "I recognised the signs... my dad died of cancer a few years back."

The memory of Henry Jones Sr, brought with is a deep pang of guilt. He resented his father for their distant relationship. That they had only become close a few short years before his death. Yet he had made the same mistakes... more, worse mistakes, than he had ever blamed his dad for.

"...look I'm sorry..." he gulped, "I've not been there..."

"Hey don't worry about it." Mutt shrugged, aware of the uncomfortable nature of the conversation about to unfold, "We did aright."

"You shouldn't have needed to." Indiana said quietly.

"Well you can make up for it now." Mutt replied cheerfully, "I figure you owe me about one hundred ice creams, a blue bicycle, a whole load of pocket money and a trip to Disney Land. And that's just for starters."

"Disney Land." Indiana laughed, "That's just opened. You never wanted to go to Disneyland when you were young."

"You're right." Mutt smiled, "But I want to go now."

Mutt laughed, leaned over and patted his dad on the shoulder. Another pang of pain leaped from his stomach. It hit him like a bolt from the blue, almost winding him. "I feel like shit." he admitted breathlessly.

"You look like shit." Indiana shrugged.

A moment later Eldora and a scantily clad native girl entered the hut carrying bowls.

"The young prince awakens." She smiled sweetly at Mutt. The native girl removed the bandages from his stomach and peeled on the layer of flowers. Mutt focused his attention on the now exposed wound in an attempt to distract himself from the bare breasts currently dangling in front of his vision. He turned a slight shade of red. Underneath the wound was deep but clean and free of infection. In silence, she added a new layer and re bandaged the area. "How are you feeling Mutt?" Eldora asked as she observed the operation, she used his name in a familiar way. Like an old family friend.

"Fighting fit." Mutt lied convincingly to the pretty blonde girl.

"Good stuff." She said enthusiastically, "You've got quite a challenge ahead of you." She squeezed his arm seductively, "But I'm sure you're more than up to the task."

"Task?" Mutt asked.

Eldora stroked around his chin gently, bright blue eyes focused on his, "Oh, I'll tell you about it when you're feeling a little better." She cooed. She handed him a bowl of mushed up...something. "Eat." she said, "Get your strength up. It's a full moon in four days time. You set off for the jaguar eyes the day after."

Eldora barked something at the native girl and she immediately picked up her things and left the hut.

"I'll see you later Mutt." Eldora purred as she left.

"Wow!" Mutt sighed leaning back on his bed, "Nice locals!"

Indiana watched as the English girl left. The hairs of the back of his neck slowly began to return to normal as she slid away.

"You just keep you attention focused on getting better." Indiana ordered, helping Mutt back into a comfortable sleeping position. He didn't know why. But he really didn't like that girl. And he certainly didn't trust her.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

_You'll be glad to know this is the last we'll see of the lovely Eldora for a good while._

Everything is going round in circles. Round and round in a sickening blur. Bright colours meld and merge into a spiral of grey-brown, like that time at the fairground, but with no candy floss and no laughing. It's noisy here. Screaming, grinding metal and air rushing past. Oxley and Indiana are there. They stand next to each other at the colours spin behind them. They are smiling and have their hands out, reaching. Which one to grab? Too late to make a decision, Indiana is getting further and further away. Too far away to reach. He looks angry now and shakes his head. He's gone. Oxley is still waiting, a grey hand reaching out. But it looks so frail. His fingers begin to turn to dust and the air whisks his grey skin into the spinning backdrop as it rushes past. He looks at his hand confused. The dust is spreading up his arm, leaving behind nothing but bone. As the dust climbs up his face, grating back the skin and exposing bare skull he lets out an agonising scream....

_____________________________________________________________

Mutt awoke with a start and a deep gasp of air. His breath was ragged and sweat dripped freely from his head and body. He wiped his face with both hands slowly. Just another bad dream. He had been having two or three a night since regaining conciseness a few days ago. But this was the fourth already tonight? He was obviously stressed. Tomorrow he was supposed to embark on a search for these missing Jaguar eyes.

Mutt sat up and had a look around. The hut was in darkness, the kind of darkness that those that live in cities with street lights can't really appreciate. A thick darkness that you could almost touch. Indiana was asleep somewhere in the hut he knew, he could hear his deep, calm breathing. It was clear even through the constant jabbering noise of the jungle. The man slept like a log. Mutt found it reassuring.

"Having trouble sleeping?" came a hushed voice, very near, from somewhere in darkness. Mutt started with fright. "Eldora?" he asked quietly, "Is that you?"

"Well..." she giggled from somewhere to his right, "...there are only three people on this camp who can speak English, and I'm pretty sure your father hasn't had a sex change."

"What are you doing in here?" Mutt asked, still trying to judge her position, she seemed to be moving from one place to the next, but he couldn't hear her footsteps.

"I came to see if you were prepared for tomorrow."

He felt her sit on his make-shift bed now. Somewhere down by his legs. He pulled himself up to a fully seated position. "I still have no idea what's going on. All you did was show me a big statue of a jaguar, I presume the eyes were some kind of crystal?"

"Blue Diamond." Eldora corrected him, "And they were stolen two months ago. The tribe have had nothing but bad luck since then. People dying of a mystery plague, lack of food, animal attacks."

"And they want me and my dad to get two more from some underground cave." Mutt said scratching his head.

"And you say you have no idea what's going on?" Eldora cooed, leaning on his legs and giving them a little squeeze. "It's very important you get the crystals." she said, turning very serious.

"To be honest." Mutt shrugged, he lowered his voice. "Pops has planned to make a getaway as soon as we're out of their sight."

Eldora was silent. For a moment Mutt wondered if she had left.

"Does your father really hate me that much?" Eldora said with emotion. She began to sniff as if she were crying.

Mutt was confused. "What?" he asked, "What's wrong?"

Eldora flung her face on to Mutt's bare chest, "I'm sorry." she sobbed quietly, "Just do what you have to do. Don't worry about me."

Mutt felt a hot tear drip down his chest. "I don't understand." he complained.

"You're father?" she said, "He never told you?"

"No. What?" he protested.

Eldora sniffed quietly as another tear rolled off her face, "About two years ago I was on an adventure with my father." she began, "My father was a great explorer and he had decided to bring me along for the trip... To cut a long story short." she said sadly, "We were caught by this tribe and my father traded me in for his own release."

"Traded as in..."

"Sold." she whimpered, "To marry the son of the tribe leader. But he died shortly after I arrived."

"That's terrible." Mutt said. He began to stroke the girl's hair as she lay on him. It seemed the right thing to do.

"I can't escape alone." she cried quietly, "I'm just one girl. Against a whole tribe."

Eldora sat up. She leaned a few inches from Mutt's face, " The tribe leader has offered to trade me for the diamonds." She said. Mutt would feel her hot breath inches from his lips. "I would belong to you. We would all get out of here together. But only if you bring back the crystals."

She moved away. Back into the darkness.

"But I told your father all this, and he still decided that you should escape... Just do what you have to do."

"I never... he never said." Mutt explained.

"Why would he." Eldora spat, "He hates me. Even though I saved him from being burned alive. He and my father knew each other, they were rivals. He told me that I deserved everything I got."

"He would never..."

"He told me to my face." she said with venom, "He said that my father was a cheat, a liar and a thief. And that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. He said that the world was a much safer place with me stuck here. He said that you were his only priority."

"I'll speak to him!" Mutt said, raising the volume of his voice. He was enraged by the story. He didn't want to believe it. But at the same time, he had only known his father for a matter of weeks. How could he know all elements of his character in such a short time. Indiana stirred a little from somewhere at the other end of the hut.

Eldora put a finger lightly on Mutt's lips. "No! Please. I don't want to create a rift between you two. He's your father. He just wants what's best for you I.... just...tomorrow, when you go into the cave. Please bring back the crystals... Come back for me." She began to cry quietly again.

"I'll come back for you." Mutt said strongly.

Eldora sniffed, "I trust you Mutt."

She leaned forward and kissed Mutt lightly on the cheek.

"Promise me you'll get those crystals and buy back my freedom." she cooed sadly.

"I promise." Mutt said, "I give you my word."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Mutt picked up a small stone and threw it into the massive, gaping, black hole. Although it didn't really take all that long until he heard it hit a surface, it continued to hit surface after surface for at least another 10 seconds, reminding Mutt that the same was likely to happen to his head if he were to fall. He looked behind him. Five rough looking natives and an English girl stood, spears, arrows and darts just a breath away. He really was stuck between the proverbial rock and hard place.

Indiana was busy tying two large vine ropes to a protruding jagged rock. "Sooo." Mutt mused casually, "We're just going to... what?.. climb down, on a rope made of leaves and twigs."

"No." Indy said confidently as he continued tying what seemed to be a multitude of knots in the rope, "It's been off and on rain for the last two weeks. The rocks are going to be too slippery. Try and climb down there are you'll end up sitting at the pearly gates nest to an equally confused Humpty Dumpty."

"So... we... jump?" Mutt joked, screwing up his face, "You know I was involved in a pretty serious aeroplane crash last week, I also jumped out a tree in a tangled parachute. It's made me kind of weary of heights." He pulled up his blood stained shirt and pointed obviously to the bandages in order to emphasise an already clear point.

"We're not going to jump." Indiana reassured his son. He began tying the rope around his own waist in a large loop.

Mutt let out a sigh of relief. "Cool. So what's the plan then pops?"

"We're going to fall." Indiana smiled his trademark grin.

Indiana approached Mutt with the second length of rope as his son began to back away slowly. "Slow down there fella." Mutt complained back peddling. The natives were beginning to look worried and hands were edging towards their weapons.

"Slowly..." Indiana explained, keeping one eye on the tribes-men, "We're going to fall very, very slowly." Mutt stopped nervously and allowed Indiana to loop the rope around his waist. "Trust me ok." Indiana said.

"I don't." Mutt said bluntly, "_Trust me_ always means that we're going to do something totally stupid and dangerous. _Trust me_ means your making it up as your going along. I don't like this _trust me _nonsense_._"

Indiana rolled his eyes.

"Well promise me..." Mutt continued nervously, "...Promise me that this time I'm wrong. Tell me that _trust me_ means _I've done this a thousand times_, and not just, I think this is how you do it."

Indiana said nothing.

"I just want you to tell me you've done this before. Come on pops, say the words."

Indiana smiled broadly. "Just trust me."

Indiana leaned back on his rope until it went tight. "Now." he explained as Mutt copied the action, "Put one hand here and the other here." Mutt followed the instructions, "The tighter you grip on this knot the slower you'll go. You have to let it loose a little to go down."

Mutt nodded. He leaned backwards with his hands tight on the knot and stayed stationary. When he tried loosening his grin we went falling backwards on to the grass. Grumpily he wiped the wet grass off his jeans as he stood back up. He made a mental note to grip hard when he was actually climbing down. "So if I want to stop or slow down I just grip quite hard."

Indiana nodded, "In theory." he smiled and began his slow descent into the cave mouth.

"In theory." Mutt said to himself almost deliriously "In theory." He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his his fore arm. "You better hope these twigs'll take your weight old man!" He shouted down the hole, "They're made to take the weight of little fit natives not overweight librarians."

"Get a move on kid." came the echo from bellow, "Or this librarian will be there and back before you even step off the ledge."

"I don't have a problem with that." Mutt mumbled to himself, "Did I say I would have a problem with that?" He pulled all his weight on the rope and edged backwards to the edge of the cave mouth. Apprehensively he stepped off the ledge and into a horizontal position. "try keep your feet against the surface of the rock like your climbing rather than abseiling." Indiana instructed him, he had waited just a few feet from the caves edge, "It'll take a little weight from your arms and will help with balance."

Mutt did as he was told, anything to take the pressure off his arms would do him good. Although the skin on his arm had knitted together nicely and the stitches had been removed, the damage to muscle and ligaments still cause severe pain. The medicine they gave him every few hours was amazing. Mutt had barely even remembered he had the wounds. But despite the lack of pain his arm was almost totally weak and he would be left supporting himself almost fully with his good arm during the descent.

Slowly the two men began their long descent into the black.

"So when we get down to the bottom..." Indiana whispered as they declined, "We'll find somewhere to hide for an hour or so, then climb back up."

"That's our plan?" Mutt asked.

"That's _**a**_ plan." Indiana replied indignantly, "If you have a better one?"

"Even if we escape." Mutt panted as he struggled to keep himself steady on the rope, "we're still in the middle of the jungle with no idea where we are."

"I'll figure something out." Indiana said confidently.

The rock face was indeed slippery and every time Mutt lost his footing he could feel the pressure building on his good arm, it was beginning to ache, How deep was this hole?

"And what about Eldora?" Mutt asked. He wasn't sure if last nights conversation had even really taken place, in the morning it had seemed almost dreamlike. Irrespectively it seemed immoral to leave the girl here.

"What about her?" Indiana said blankly.

"We're just going to lave her here?" Mutt was shocked at his lack on interest in the young girl's safety. Maybe it had been real? It certainly seemed that there was an underlying issue between Indiana and Eldora.

"If she wanted to leave she would be gone. Women are a lot more resourceful than you would think." Indiana explained.

"If we bring the diamonds back, the tribe leader said he would set her free with us." Mutt explained. The rock surface reachd a shelf then disappeared completely. They were now simply sitting on their loop and lowering themselves freely. Sweat began to drip freely from Mutt's head and his hands were beginning to become slippery. It was getting harder and harder to keep the tension and Mutt noticed he was moving a little faster than he was intending.

"She told you that?" Indiana asked. Mutt didn't a reply. He was concentrating on keeping himself from falling. But he could now see the reflective shimmer of the cave floor. Nearly there.

Indiana was silent for a long time.

"I don't trust that girl." he growled quietly after a few moments.

"You don't even know her." Mutt complained breathlessly.

"And neither do you." his father responded, he sounded deadly serious. "You're very young son." He continued, "And it's very noble of you to want to run in in your suit of armour and save this girl. But when you get to my age you'll learn that there are very few damsels in this world, and even if there are, the only distress they come across is the distress they cause to you."

Suddenly Mutt's hands gave out and he began to fall freely.

He didn't even have a chance to call out before he landed in the water on his rear with an echoing splash. He picked himself up painfully and rubbed his aches. "Told you you couldn't beat me down." he said grumpily.

Indiana laughed as his feet dipped into an ankle deep pool of water and touched the cave floor. He untied the ropes and began to rummage in the back pack he had brought, lighting up a large torch with a tinder box. The light never even touched a quarter way up the hole. "We wait." Indina said," It was an order, not negotiable, "We wait, we escape and when we're home safe we send in reinforcements to take her." Mutt said nothing. "We have bigger problems right now." Indiana insisted.

Mutt was about to protest when he noticed something swinging in front of his eyes. It continued swing until the end of the two lengths of rope passed him by and were pulled back up to the surface. The rope was gone. They were thoroughly stuck! Mutt looked up at tiny hole of light at the surface. A little black shadow was peeking in. "We'll be back tomorrow." The sweet English voice called down, "When you have the crystals, we'll send it back down. Good luck Mutt. I'm counting on you."

Indiana growled to himself. "We definitely have bigger problems now." He complained.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"Well there's no need for an argument now." Indiana shrugged, complaining never helped anything, "We need to find the diamonds or find a way out trying."

He surveyed his surrounding with the torch. There seemed to be only one exit cavern from his position. At least that made it a bit easier to know where to start. "This way." he said confidently gesturing to Mutt.

The tunnel was narrow with jagged rocks sticking out from the sides, it seemed to climb slightly upwards. "You sure this is the right way?" Mutt asked nervously. Although he had never thought himself to be a claustrophobic person the prospect of squeezing into the crack with nothing but miles of rock above, below and beside him was less than appealing.

"I don't see any other way." Indiana admitted, "You stay behind me. At least you know if I can fit, you can fit."

Mutt nodded.

For the first half an hour or so they were able to walk forward facing, but soon the crack became narrower and they had to slide sideways. As they walked they passed cave paintings; white hands, pictures of men with spears. Indiana reminded Mutt that this meant they must be heading in the right direction. He pointed out a picture of a big cat with glowing eyes.

Mutt was less than interested in the history lesson. The air was stale, the corridor was getting smaller, the walls were wet and dripping and he had been looking at the rear end of his father for what seemed like hours.

Suddenly Indiana came to a halt.

He put the flame as high as he could manage. "Looks like we head down here." he said. Indiana shuffled down into a crouching position, then on to his stomach. It was only then that Mutt saw the tiny space that he was expected to crawl through. The cave walls seemed to be drawing in on him. "I think this is the wrong way." he said, the edge of panic beginning to set in.

"It's the right way." Indiana assured his son, "Think of the size of the natives, this is barely a crawl for them. Its just a little tight for a westerner." He shone is torch into the space, "It's not very long." he said, "Only about 30 feet, and at the end it seems to open up into a much bigger cave." He handed Mutt the back pack. "You're going to have to wriggle along on your belly." he explained, "But we don't want to be opening up that wound, put the bag up your shirt for extra padding."

"I don't think I can do it." Mutt said bluntly, "It's too small." he could feel his breath becoming more shallow. He tried to turn round, to go back, but he couldn't turn his shoulders.

Indiana looked round to face him. "You need to calm down." he said strictly, "You can either slide 30 feet to a nice open area, or you can walk right back down that corridor on your own, in the dark. Cause I'm taking the torch with me"

Mutt said nothing, but stuffed the backpack up his shirt. He nodded, "Ready." he said unconvincingly.

"If I can fit you can fit." Indiana reminded him as he slid into the hole arms first.

Within a few seconds his feet scrambled in.

Mutt waited a few moments before crouching down. He could see his fathers boots a few paces ahead and his puffing and panting and grunting echoed down the corridor.

"I can do this." Mutt said out loud as he began to crawl in.

He went in arms first as Indiana had done, grabbing the sides of the tunnel to pull himself in further. His knees could barely move, and he scrambled forward with his toes. Even through the backpack he could feel the jagged rocks rubbing against his stomach and across his back. Streaks of light lit up the area around him having escaped from gaps Indiana's body was making. Mutt counted up in his head, the process of which reminding him that he was only going to be in this tunnel for a few moments and not forever.

But then it suddenly went pitch black. Mutt could head Indiana grunting in front more profusely than before

"Everything ok?" he called out to the nothingness. He had stopped counting and the panic was beginning to surge again.

"Just give me a minute." Indiana called back, "This bit's just a bit narrow, but I've got a good hand hold." He grunted again, "Just a minute.... that's it, through the narrow spot. I can see the end up ahead."

Mutt continued to pull himself forward again. Fingertips clawing at rocks.

Then he stopped.

It was the same stop that Indiana had encountered a moment ago.

Mutt's fingertips grabbed at rocks, but they kept slipping off.

His feet had no grip.

He dug in with his nails, but he couldn't pull himself any further forward.

"I'm stuck." he shouted.

He could feel his heart rate surging.

"Just give yourself a good pull." Indiana called from somewhere up ahead, "If I can fit you can fit." he repeated.

Mutt tried grabbing the ceiling, maybe there was a better grip there.

There was none.

"No." he cried out, "I'm stuck, I can't move. Its the backpack. I'm too wide."

His head was throbbing and behind his eyes. His arms could only move a few inches back or forward before his elbows bumped onto the sides. His legs were useless.

"I can't come back right now." Indiana shouted, "I'm going to have to climb out the other side then come back for you."

"You're going to leave me in here!"

"Just for a minute, then I'll climb back in front ways and you're going to grab my hands. Understood."

Mutt nodded but didn't respond. He was beginning to feel dizzy and sick. He couldn't breath. It was as if it was getting tighter and tighter.

A pain was growing in his chest.

"I think I'm having a heart attack." Mutt called out.

"You're having a panic attack." Indiana shouted, "You need to think about your breathing, erratic breathing expands your chest and makes you wider. That's me coming back in for you. I'll be there in just a few seconds."

Mutt was beginning to tremble furiously when Indiana finally grabbed his hands.

"Hey kid." he said calmly when Mutt seemed unresponsive. Mutt looked up into darkness, Indiana had left the torch in the open cavern. "Listen to me Mutt." Indiana said soothingly, "I need you to close your eyes and think of your breathing. I want you to count to five after each breath."

Mutt closed his eyes. After a few moment his breath was calmer if still a little ragged.

"Now." Said Indiana, "We're going to count to three and we're going to give you a right good pull. You pull with your arms. ok."

Mutt nodded, "Ok." he said.

"1, 2, 3....pull"

Mutt moved maybe an inch.

"And again." Indina direct, "1, 2, 3.."

This time the heave was enough to pull Mutt from his spot. The edges of the tunnel receded a little and he was once again able to move his legs.

Both men lay still for a second.

"You ok." Indina asked when he could hear Mutt's breath returning to normal.

"I'm ok." Mutt said.

"Good." smile Indiana, "Cause you need to come and see what I just found!"


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

_Third chapter today. Might squeeze one or two more in, Its a minging horrible day and I'm totally bored._

When Indiana and Mutt finally pulled themselves out from the tiny cavern they were face to face with an amazing sight.

The cave must have been at least a half a mile high and a mile in diameter. It had thousands of tiny holes in the ceiling emitting daylight down in streaks. Fresh air followed the light and for the first time in hours Mutt felt as id he could breath normally. Sitting at the centre of the cave was a massive step pyramid, the tiny door seemingly minuscule compared to the rest of the building. In front of the pyramid was a smooth flowing river with a stone, curved bridge delicately sitting over it. But the most amazing of all was the plant life. Delicately carved trees and flowers and bushes and vines.

Indiana walked over to a small tree and examined the delicately carved bark. "It's been carved out of one solid piece of rock."

"It's like it's been turned to stone." Mutt said, amazed. The scene had forced him to completely forget his plight of a moment ago. He noticed a tiny carved bird in the bush in front of him, "You don't think this place had anything to do with... you know, our previous friends" The concept of turning a forest area to stone seemed a little less ridiculous than it would have a matter of weeks ago.

"No." Indiana said, still examining the same tree, "I can see the tool marks. This had been done by hand... A lot of hands I would guess. Like an extravagant Petra."

"Petra. Who's that?"

"_It's_ a temple in Jordan carved into a mountain face. Beautiful."

"Must be important then?" Mutt suggested.

"Very." Indiana agreed. He smiled in a way that Mutt hadn't seen on their previous little adventures. It was a boyish twinkle. He was loving this. "Lets find what's inside then." he grinned.

Mutt nodded and the both stepped over the little bridge and walked towards the door, they noticed as they passed that little fish jumped from the flowing water. From a distance the doorway had seemed tiny, but they could now see that it was at least 12 foot high. It led to a square corridor, lit by a line of fire which lay in a recess in the wall.

"They must have tapped a natural oil source." Indiana said, almost to himself, "This fire has probably burning for hundreds of years."

Indiana stopped at the entrance and examined his surroundings while Mutt breezed on in.

"Stop!" Indiana cried out urgently.

Mutt stopped dead. He didn't move a muscle.

"Take a step back." Indiana ordered.

Again Mutt did as he was told.

"What's wrong?" he asked when Indiana walked over to join him.

"What do you see?" Indiana asked.

Mutt shrugged, "An entrance. Cobwebs and a bunch of skeletons."

"Skeletons." Indiana pointed out.

"We're always coming across skeletons, I'm so over skeletons" Mutt grumbled, "What's so different about these ones?"

Indiana sighed, sometimes being clever was painful. "Why would a whole bunch of people walk into a room and suddenly die?"

Mutt shrugged, he still didn't get it.

"Something must have killed him." Indy continued, he waited for Mutt to come up with the answer. Mutt looked back blankly.

"A trap." he almost shouted, his frustration obvious, "A trap killed them. This place is probably littered with them. So just keep your wits about you"

Indiana went down on his knees and began to crawl along the floor. Mutt stayed put. "You look ridiculous." he commented smugly. He leaned against the wall casually. His painkillers were beginning to fade and a dull throbbing was beginning to ebb from his stomach. They would have to make this a quick trip.

Suddenly a stone disc came flying from the left wall about five inches above where Indy was kneeling. It sparked across the other wall and came flying towards Mutt. Taken by surprise, Mutt remained unmoving as the disk flew an inch past his neck and out into the petrified forest.

Indiana looked around slowly, "Traps." he emphasised. He gestured Mutt down to where he was sitting and pointed to the stone slabs, "There are pressure sensitive floor panels." He explained, "They're slightly raised so we should be able to avoid them."

"How...how did you know to kneel down?" Mutt asked, the panels were only raised by mere millimetres. The only way to see them was to go down to face level.

Indiana stood up and picked up a skull from the floor. "They've all lost their heads." he smiled. He threw the skull at Mutt who caught it instinctively. He looked into the black eyes, "At least your day sucked more than mine." he said before tossing the head behind him.

Mutt followed Indiana carefully through the corridor, occasionally kneeling down to see the next triggered surface, until they came to a wooden door. Two green eyes were crudely painted on to the door.

Indiana opened it carefully. He turned to Mutt. "Now remember to follow me. And don't do anything stupid or reckless." He even got out his lecturing pointing finger, "The last thing we need is for you to get yourself into a situation, because, to be honest, I can't be bothered getting you out of it."

Mutt rolled his eyes, "Lead the way." he sighed.

"Fine." Indiana nodded. He turned and walked through the door.

Then he disappeared out of sight.

Before Mutt even had a chance to take in the situation, he heard a worried voice from below.

"Mutt!!!!!" Indiana yelled, "I hate snakes!!!"


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Mutt stepped into the room and looked down. Indiana had stepped straight on to a trapdoor. He stood about 10 feet down, white as a sheet and frozen solid, his hands raised above his head. In with him, as deep as his waist, were hundreds of large beige and brown striped snakes. They writhed around each other in a tangled, slithering knot.

Mutt burst out in laughter.

"What are you laughing at?" Indiana spat, his face turning a deep shade of red. "Get me out of here before one of these things bite me!"

Mutt wiped the tears from his eyes. He had clocked that all the snakes were largish boa constrictors, but no real threat to a grown man.

"To be honest." Mutt said still smiling and stroking his chin, "I don't know if I can be bothered getting you out of it."

"For Christs-sake Mutt." Indiana yelled, "This is no time for a joke. I'm dying here."

"Don't worry pops." Mutt grinned "They're constrictors, they can't bit you. If one wraps itself round your neck, just carefully unwrap it. They probably won't even look at you because you're so big. One of the advantages of a life time of donuts."

Indiana remained his deep shade of red, "I don't give a damn if they eat rainbows and defecate gold." he said, "I don't like snakes in any shape form or creed. Get me out!"

"Keep your shorts on." Mutt said casually. He leaned down on his stomach and put his hands out to his father. But it was too deep. Over a foot separated the two men. Mutt sat up and looked about the room.

It was empty apart from the trapdoor a long circular corridor.

"I'm going to have to go further in to get something to pull yourself up with." he shouted down to his dad.

"Fine. Just do it." Indiana grumped.

Mutt began to walk away... "Mutt..." Indiana called. Mutt went back to the trapdoor.

"Be careful" Indiana said, "Watch out for traps."

Mutt nodded.

He began to walk away..." Oh and Mutt...." came the familiar cry from below. Mutt walked back over. "What?" he said impatiently looking down at his flustered father

"Stop chatting with me and hurry up." Indiana demanded.

Mutt shook his head and walked down the dark corridor.

He walked at a quick pace, knowing that his father would be getting more and more upset in his little hole, but despite his pace, it was a full ten minutes before he came across anything.

But what he did come across was magnificent.

Lying casually on the floor as if it had simply been dropped, was a sword with a magnificent green blade. He picked it up and examined it, forgetting for a moment the urgency of his fathers position. It was light, like a stick rather than sword. It had a leather handle carved in the shape of a big cat, a jaguar he guessed, with tiny green diamonds for the eyes. And the blade, although green, was almost transparent. They were definitely in the right place to get these diamonds. Along the edge of the edge of the blade was stained with a dark crust.

Mutt wiped the edge on his shirt and the crust flecked off.

He waved it about like a five year old with wooden toy. This was better than any of the silly swords he had been given while learning to fence. Precisely why he had flunked out. Too much academic, not enough fun.

It would be perfect to get his father out. Long enough and strong enough.

Mutt had turned to return to Indiana when he heard a noise behind him. Like a sliding noise or a hissing. He looked back and saw a green glow coming from further ahead. For a moment he pondered, his stomach had moved from an ache to a pain, if he could get the diamond before he rescued Indiana, it would save a whole load of time and he could get this medicine sooner. Cautiously he edged towards the glow.

It was definitely the room he was after. Loose green diamonds littered the floor area. Some as big as his hand, some as big as his head, some as big as himself in his entirety. They seemed to illuminate a a green glow.

In the centre of the large round a large pile of bones lay in a neat pile. The pile was at least 6 foot high. Called by curiosity and comforted by his new found sword Mutt edged towards the pile. When he looked in he saw that the bones were all shattered into tiny pieces. Tiny scraps of burnt coloured material was also amongst the rubble. And buttons. Military buttons?

Mutt now suddenly noticed that this button was still attached to a largish piece of green material. He pulled at it and to his disgust discovered that not only was the button still attached to the material, but the material was still attached to a body. The pile of bones crumbled to the ground noisily as he pulled at the body.

It was horrific. As if the poor guy had been partially set on fire and mashed, recently. He was missing most of his skin, with only little patches still clinging to bone. What was left of the British military officer lay awkwardly, bending at every point, his bones obviously useless and crushed.

Mutt wiped his hands on his shirt and backed up in horror.

It was time to grab the diamonds, grab his father and get the hell out of here.

Suddenly Mutt bumped into something that hadn't been there before.

Why was it taking so long? Mutt had been gone for at least fifteen minutes. Indiana could feel snakes rubbing along his thighs and gripping at his legs. At one point he even had to unwrap a particularly curious snake that had attempted to wiggle his way down his pants. He had tried to spend most of his time with his eyes closed, he found that he felt a little better if he couldn't see them. But when he felt something slithering up his body towards his neck, he finally took a peek to remove it.

After removing the disgusting article Indiana noticed something strange amongst the writhing snakes. In fact there were lots of them. Like white pieces of paper.

Indiana waited until the slithering wave brought on the the white objects over to him and picked it up. It felt like leather and one side was all wet.

Then Indiana saw another at his leg. But this one was round, and moving.

Indiana watched in fascination and then in horror as the object writhed, ripped and a large snake wriggled out of it.

An egg.

And with babies are this size, how big is mum?


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Mutt froze solid. Whatever he had backed up in to was moving, no sliding behind him. A small process of deduction suggested that moving things in creepy old caves were probably alive. After a further process of the same thought, he also reasoned that moving things in creepy old caves are probably alive and probably not very nice. Through an even further process of deduction, Mutt finally came to the conclusion that he really shouldn't be standing here contemplating what kind of big mean beast was slithering along behind him, and instead he should be getting the hell out of it's way.

Too late.

Suddenly the long slithering thing was no longer slithering behind him, but was now slithering in front of him, towards him, at a particularly fast pace.

Mutt turned and ran.

It was a snake. A bloody big snake. Not 'big' like the 'big' spiders that his mum insisted he get rid of from the bathroom. Think "The Giant Gala Monster". Think "The Black Scorpion." Think "Godzilla." Think every other giant monster movie of the last 10 years. The kind of big that doesn't need to chew as it shallows you whole.

Well, maybe that was a slight exaggeration. In truth the giant boa constricter would probably need at least three attempts to get a writhing Mutt into it's mouth. But it seemed almost irrelevant at the time.

Mutt ran towards the only exit from the room, the same passage he had entered from, but the snake was already on it before Mutt could get anywhere near. This thing was ferociously fast, not at all like the monsters from the big screen. The beast curled herself up and hissed aggressively. Mutt could see dirty jagged scars all over her, every previous attempt to kill this snake had been a failure, her bone medals piled high.

The sword.

Mutt raised his sword shakily. "Don't come near me." He warned the snake, "I'll cut you in two."

The snake hissed, almost a laugh and flicked it's tail. The very tip slapped across Mutt's hands and sent the sword flying.

Plan B.

Mutt ran in the opposite direction. Any type of running, however aimless seemed to at least be proactive, but the room wasn't at all large, he was coming up to a flat wall and knew that the monster must have been only inches behind him. He waited for the impact of either the wall or the snake. Stopping just didn't seem like an option.

And the impact came.

But rather than from behind or in front, as he had expected, he felt an impact from below as he tripped over the mangled, broken body of the British soldier and fell flat on his face. The jolt sent a new wave of pain up his arm and across his stomach.

Mutt was able to lift his face, just in time to see the giant snake lunge towards the space where he had been moments ago. The snake flew right into the bare wall and seemed stunned for a second.

Mutt took his opportunity and bolted towards the exit, grabbing the sword as he ran.

He ran at a speed he had never ran before. Not at athletics try outs, not when getting chased by rival gangs, not even when they were fleeing from a multi-dimensional worm-hole. He ran faster and faster until his head felt light, his legs cried in pain and his heart thumped like a war drum. He ran in the way you can only run if chased by a giant monster.

But the monster, despite her lack of legs, was hot on his tail.

Just a little further up Mutt could see the archway to the snake pit room. Maybe Indiana had gotten himself out of the pit by himself, he would know how to get out of this situation. He was always in ridiculously dangerous situations. Mutt could hear his father shouting from the distance. Maybe some advice, some way to get out of this predicament.

"Mutt..! Mutt..! Can you hear me?" came the call.

Mutt never called back. It would take vital energy away from the running process. He was nearly in the room now. He needed advice and he needed it fast.

"Mutt! I think there might be a big snake in here!"

No shit Sherlock, but how to kill it?

"And if there is...!" Indiana continued.

Yes. Hurry up.

"We're screwed..!"

Without a word Mutt leapt over the trap containing his father and towards the thick wooden door. He stopped himself in his tracks when he got to the other side and tried to push it closed with all his might. If they were lucky it wouldn't notice Indiana and he could come back for him when the beast was back in her lair.

But the snake was too fast and too strong. It barged into the door sending Mutt flying onto the trap ridden flooring.

Wooden disks began flying viciously around the room. The snake screeched as they penetrated deep into her body. Blood began to stream through the floor tiles.

Mutt heaved himself to his knees and raised his sword to make the final cut on the injured animal, but before he could even lift it the snake was on him.

Round him.

He dropped the sword as the snake curled its self around his torso and began to squeeze. She looked down at him excitedly as the helpless boy began to gasp. He tried to call out, but there was no air to use.

Mutt felt something crack.

Pressure was building up in his head and those spots that had visited while stuck in the caves had came for a return visit. The spots turned black and slowly began to join up, his last sight was of the leering mouth of the beast as his eyes rolled back into his head.

But then he felt the pressure ease.

Oxygen rushed back into his lungs and he gulped deep breaths of air as he slouched to the ground.

The snake had let go and was heading towards Indiana.

"Come here you son of a bitch!" Indiana yelled up from his prison. He made a face of disgust as he fought up the courage to pick up another baby snake and snap it's neck. It screamed as it died. "I'll kill another, then another until you get you ass over here!" Indiana continued, luring the snake away from his son.

The giant beast's head was suddenly visible above him. She looked pissed.

"Come on you bitch!" Indiana called, snapping another giant baby. The only urgency was to get the monster away from his son. He never really had a plan of what to do now. Too late to think of one now. The beast pounced at him, mouth open.

Indiana closed his eyes.

..............

Nothing happened.

Indiana opened his eyes.

He let out an undignified scream as he saw the beast looking at him from only millimetres away. Looking, but not moving.

Probably, he now realised, because the only part of the giant snake that was in the hole with him was the head. Indiana looked up to see the severed body of the snake lolling over the edge of the pit. Beside it a rather pleased looking Mutt was standing with what looked like a blood soaked sword. Where on earth had he gotten a sword from?

Mutt offered the sword down to a great full Indiana and hauled him up. Both men fell exhausted on to the floor. As he did so a baby snake wriggled out from underneath Indiana's shirt.

Father and son both jumped back faster than a heartbeat. The snake slithered back into his nest.

"Dad." Mutt said quietly, screwing up his face, "I hate snakes."

Indiana smiled and patted Mutt on the back roughly,

"Told you." he said smugly.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

After killing the snake Indiana had went back to the lair and chosen two reasonable sized diamonds and made the long and dreary return journey back to the base of the cave. It seemed to take twice as long, but with the knowledge that he was on the way out rather than in, Mutt had seemed less anxious about the small spaces.

It was a starlight night when they arrived back at the initial cave. Indiana called up to any awaiting tribes men but there was no return. He shrugged "They did say they would come back tomorrow." he said, "Looks like we wait."

The two men settled themselves on rocks above the water by the cool diamond light. "Worst holiday ever." Mutt grumbled.

"Next year we'll try the Bahamas." Indiana suggested jokingly

"No way." Mutt moaned, "Full of creepy crawlies. I'm not going anywhere which could potentially have deadly giant animals"

"Mexico?"

"Scorpians."

"Alaska?"

"Polar Bears."

"Florida?

"Sharks"

"New York?"

"Roaches."

"Well I'm out of ideas." Indiana sighed.

Mutt thought for a moment. "Canada." he said, "Nothing interesting ever happens in Canada."

Indiana laughed out loud and looked over to Mutt. The boy looked rough. He had dark lines under his eyes and his face shone grey in the light. "How are you holding up." he asked seriously.

Mutt shrugged, "I'm ok." he said, "A bit tired, a bit sore, could be doing with a top up of the old magic medicine."

"You should get some sleep." Indiana suggested.

Mutt fidgeted about, "I doubt that's going to happen." he complained.

Both men were silent for a while, taking in the noises of the rainforest.

"Did I ever tell you about the time I was chased by a giant boulder?" Indiana asked when the silence became uncomfortable.

Mutt smirked, "No, surprisingly, I only met you a few weeks ago. What happened?"

Indiana pulled a face, "Well... I was chased by a giant boulder." he said blankly, not the best conversation starter really, "And beat it."

Mutt looked serious, "Where did you and mum meet?" he asked.

"We first met when we were very young." Indiana explained, "Then we lost touch for about ten years. We met again when I was looking for the ark of the Convenant. Your mother had a piece of a map I needed and she tagged along when I had her bar burnt down."

Indiana looked sadly into space, "At one point I thought she had been killed. She hadn't of course, takes a lot more than an exploding truck to get rid of that woman. But that's when I realised I loved her, that I wanted to marry her and be with her."

Indiana laughed sadly and looked over to Mutt, "Screwed that one up Royally."

But Mutt was asleep. His head leaning gently on his chest.

"Biggest regret of my life." he sighed as he looked on at his son.

Early the next morning, when the sky was just beginning to lighten the sky, Indiana watched as two vine ropes silently slid down into the hole. Indiana went over to Mutt and gave him a little shake, "Wakey wakey sleeping beauty." he sang cheerfully.

Mutt didn't open his eyes.

"Come on kid, the taxi's here." Indiana said, becoming serious.

Mutt groggily opened his eyes. He rubbed his head shakily. "I don't feel so good." he admitted.

"Come on JR." Indiana said, helping him to his feet, "We've got a good climb ahead of us."

Mutt fell back down on to his knees and swayed sightly like a drunkard, "I really mean it." Mutt complained.

Indiana knelt down beside Mutt. "It it your stomach?" he asked. He lifted the boys shirt to look at his stomach. There was no bleeding on the bandages, it must just be lack of pain medication.

"Yeah... and my chest." Mutt added, "My chest hurts too."

Indiana pulled his shirt higher to reveal a large deep black bruise on his chest. It looked bad, maybe even internal bleeding. There was no way he could climb out of here alone.

Indiana picked him up again and carefully moved him over to the ropes. There he made a crude harness and secured Mutt in. "I'm going to climb up here alone." he explained, "When I get to the top I'll hoist you up."

Mutt nodded groggily.

Indiana used a Kleinheist knot to pull himself up the hole, but the method was slow moving and exhausting. The three minute descent took nearly forty minutes to ascend. When Indy finally got to the top only Eldora was waiting. "Where's the rest of the rescue party?" Indiana asked.

"They're off to catch you some breakfast." Eldora said calmly, "Monkey brains sound nice?" She looked down the hole, "Where's Mutt... and the diamonds?" she asked.

"They're both down there." Indiana lied, "I could have done with a few strong natives to help get them up."

"I'll try my best." Eldora shrugged, "They'll be here soon."

Both Eldora and Indiana then grabbed Mutt's rope and began to heave him up. Before long he was on the edge of the hole. Indiana grabbed him roughly and heaved him over the ledge and on to the surface and over to Eldora who pulled him away from the ledge.

Indiana looked down at his red raw hands. "You really could have put more of an effort into that." he said grumpily, "I know you're a lady but..."

Click

"...But... let's get to the point." Eldora cooed, "Where are the diamonds?"

Indiana scowled. "You get that gun away from my son's head or...."

"Or what?" Eldora said threateningly, "You'll get angry." She moved the gun closer to the back of Mutt's head, pressing it into his skull. Mutt groaned as he regained conciousness. He assessed the situation quickly and stayed perfectly still.

"I knew you two could get those diamonds if you did it together." Eldora said venomously, "That's the only reason I let you both live. Indiana Jones, the great adventurer and his mysterious son."

"Not a journalist then." Indiana said.

"Or a slave." Mutt added suddenly feeling very stupid.

"Just give me the diamonds." Eldora spat. She pushed the gun on to Mutt again, pushing his head forward.

Very slowly, Indiana put his hands into his pockets and brought out the two diamonds. With her free hand Eldora grabbed them and stuffed then into hers.

"Chase me if you like." she said to Indiana, "But if you do, you leave Mutt here to the locals. They really are on their way."

She moved her gun to face Indiana and backed up into the forest. In a moment she was gone.

It was only a few mere minutes later that the natives found the two men. Strangely, even without their usual translator they were able to figure out that they were pissed off. Seriously pissed off.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"You know Canada does sound quite nice." Indiana mused to himself.

"I don't know..." Mutt said weakly, "This hole does seem a whole lot nicer than all the others we're been in recently. It's warm. It's not too deep. It's cosy. We get to lie down."

"It's on the path of a swollen river if there's even a drip of rain." Indiana reminded his son.

"...It's got it's own swimming pool." Mutt added.

Indiana pulled on the arm restraints attached to the ground. They were the only piece of metal they had seen while in the rainforest tribe. The wrist attachments forced them to lie down on the ground, head to head in the small dug out hole. The cuffs were rusty, it was obviously a well used method of execution. He looked up at the grey cloudy sky. It was definitely going to rain.

A grumble of thunder boomed from the sky.

"I told you not to trust that girl." Indiana lectured, "Never trust a pretty girl."

"Is that the wealth of your fatherly experience." Mutt quipped, "You should write it on a post card and send it to someone who's not about to drown in a three foot hole."

A fat drop of water landed on Indiana's nose.

"No that's not the wealth." he grumped, "I know lots of other fatherly things. Like..." he paused, "Well I can't think of anything on the spot, but there's lots in there, let me tell you that."

Little raindrops began to fall steadily.

"Rather drown than be eaten by a snake." Mutt mused as the droplets became heaver. Puddles were forming around his head. He then realised exactly what was happening, "Man, my hair's getting all messed up and muddy." he whined, "I'll take the snake, bring back the snake."

"Stop gabbering, I'm trying to think." Indiana snapped. Their situation was becoming desperate quicker than he expected, a tiny river of water was now running down the edges of the hole. It was bringing with it tiny loose plants and foliage.

"Look for a twig of something with a hole through the middle." Indiana directed, "If you can grab it, it'll keep up going for longer."

"Oh the old breath through grass reeds trick," Mutt nodded, the situation didn't seem to be bothering him. He seemed delirious, maybe from blood loss? At least he wouldn't be frightened.

Indiana was frightened.

He grabbed at plants and discarded them. Useless. The water was touching his ears. "God damnit." he cursed.

"You can have one of mine if you want." Mutt said causally as if he was offering candy from a bag, "I've got two with holes through it. I was going to put one in each nostril, but if you've not got one..."

Blindly Mutt handed the twig over to his father.

Indiana put the twig in his mouth. He had bought some time, now he had to think of a plan.

_____________________________________________________________

The water was now completely over his face and he still hadn't come up with a plan. He moved his arms slightly to come in contact with Mutt's and squeezed. Mutt squeezed back. He was still alive, still breathing.

But then Mutt's hand went limp. Indiana squeezed it again. Nothing.

Suddenly water began flooding down the breathing tube. It filled his mouth in moments.

Henry Jones Jr was expecting to see something when he died. He had seen too many strange things not to believe. He wasn't sure what he expected it to look like. Maybe there would be angels with wings, maybe ghosts, maybe little red men with pointy sticks. He just didn't know.

But what he did know, was that he never expected anyone in the afterlife to look like a rather pissed off Marion.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

_It's nearly all over. I'll maybe add another wee chapter or two if I feel like it. Thanks for all the R+R's!_

Indiana watched through the grime filled water as the love of his life pulled out a pistol and fired at him twice.

Having shot off the shackles, Indiana rose to the surface with a gasp of breath. Immediately he felt strong hands grab him from behind and pull him from the hole. Indiana looked around. Complete chaos surrounded him.

Military helicopters hovered over the trees while American troops ran about shoots. Native bodies draped the forest floor and others could be seen fleeing into the forest.

Marion grabbed his hand, then pulled in for the full embrace. She had tears freely flowing from her eyes.

"Mutt..." Indiana started, searching.

Marion pointed at a red cross helicopter lifting off behind him. "He's already off."

"Is he ok?" Indiana asked nervously.

Marion smiled sadly, "I think so. Considering." The tears mingled with rain and flowed down like little rivers, "They're airlifting him to a hospital over the border."

"How did you... when?" Indiana stuttered. A military officer came over with a towel and draped it round the dripping wet man.

"I got a message saying you were dead." Marion said, he voice cracking as she said it, "They said that your body, and Mutt's had never been found." She wiped her face with her sleeve. "I knew... you said that you had seen his body... I knew that something was wrong so I called some of my x-husbands friends from the military... We've been looking for you for a week."

"How did you...?" Indiana shivered.

"We found a girl on the river about a mile up ahead." Marion explained, "She was less than cooperative, you don't seem to have lost your charm with the ladies."

"Eldora, that witch, have you got her?" Indiana growled.

Marion sniffed and smiled, "Got her."

"And the jaguar diamonds?" Indiana asked.

"Diamonds?" an officer interrupted, "Those _diamonds_ are highly radioactive material. The Russians have been dumping waste here for years. If that poor girl had spent more than a few of days with those rocks in her pocket she'd be throwing up her own lungs."

"We knew the Indians here had been using the rocks to create bigger crops," he continued, "It's a side effect of the radiation, but we figured we'd let them sort themselves out. They've been kidnapping and sacrificing our troops for their Gods, reckoned their Gods could return the favour."

"Make their crops bigger?" Indiana rubbed his head, "That would explain the snake. Not a monster, just a genetic freak."

"What are you going to do with her?" he continued, his instincts had always been right about that girl. He was old enough to know that he should always trust his instincts.

The officer shrugged, "Not much we can do. We took the rocks off her before she could do herself an injury. Or worse. But she really hasn't done anything illegal, or that we have jurisdiction over."

Indiana was very serious and spoke in a low voice, "Then let her go." he said blankly, The memory of the girl holding a gun to a vulnerable Mutt's head made his blood turn to ice and his heart follow suit.

"She wouldn't stand a chance..." started the officer.

"She was going to get home without your help before you arrived." Indiana stated.

Marion looked a bit guilty, "But we sunk her speedboat."

Indiana didn't care. "Let her go." he demanded.

The officer nodded and went up to a nearby helicopter, opening the door and un-cuffing the girl. She looked over to Indiana. "I'll just get more when you're gone." she spat aggressively. Any hint of attractiveness peeled away from her face. "If you can do it I can do it!"

Indiana smiled as he boarded the helicopter, "I dare you." he grinned.

On the journey back Indiana became very quiet. He pulled Marion in to him and kissed her on the top of the head. "Thank you." he said, "For not giving up on us."

Marion hugged him back, "Thank _you_." She said, "For not giving up on our son."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me, when Mutt needed me. He's a good kid." Indiana said sadly, looking out of the window.

Marion snuggled in under Indiana's arms, she smiled, "The best." she grabbed Indiana's hand, "Takes that off his father you see." She began fiddling with Indiana's fingers nervously, "You were there when we needed you." she said, "If it wasn't for you, I could have been killed by Russians, Mutt could have died in the jungle."

She sat up suddenly and changed tone.

"That's not to say you're off the hook Doctor Jones," she said, pointing a finger "You owe us big time mister. You owe us a whole load of family holidays...."

"To Canada," Indiana interrupted.

Marion screwed up her face, "Why on earth would we want to go to Canada? " She asked

Indiana smiled and pulled Marion back into himself, "Lets go get our son." he said.


End file.
